A blue-state bureaucrat has been sentenced to 13 months in prison after he was convicted of stealing COVID-19 relief funds from the state of Connecticut. John Bernardo was convicted of using a complicated series of false contracts and fake invoices to steal millions from the city of Hartford with a callous gang of criminals.
For context, conservatives have long sounded alarms about the massive corruption surrounding COVID-19 relief funds. In the five years since the pandemic, the authorities have charged dozens of Democrats with fraud in relation to these payments.
In any case, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), released a statement on the conviction. The document read, “Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN BERNARDO, 66, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 13 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for participating in a scheme to steal COVID-19 relief funds from the City of West Haven.”
According to the same document, “Bernardo was employed by the City of West Haven as a Housing Specialist in the office of Community Development Administration. Michael DiMassa was also employed by the City of West Haven, most recently serving as the Administrative Assistant to the City Council, and was a Connecticut State Representative.”
Exposing the details of the criminal conspiracy, HUD revealed how Bernardo defrauded the public. It said, “From July 2020 through September 2021, the City of West Haven received approximately $1,150,257 in financial assistance from this fund. DiMassa, who was authorized to approve the designated relief funds for the reimbursement of COVID-related expenditures incurred by West Haven, conspired with Bernardo, John Trasacco, and DiMassa’s now wife, Lauren DiMassa, to steal these funds and other West Haven funds through the submission of fraudulent invoices, and subsequent payment, for COVID relief goods and services that were never provided.”
Building their case, HUD explained how the conspirators used a fake company to accomplish their fraud. The document stated, “In January 2021, DiMassa and Bernardo formed Compass Investment Group, LLC. Beginning in February 2021, Compass Investment Group LLC fraudulently billed the City of West Haven and its “COVID-19 Grant Department” for consulting services purportedly provided to the West Haven Health Department that were not performed. From February 2021 through September 2021, the City of West Haven paid Compass Investment Group a total of $636,783.70.”
Apparently, the criminals used their ill-gotten funds to go on a gambling spree. Prosecutors said, “Bernardo received a portion of these funds. DiMassa made several large cash withdrawals from the Compass Investment Group LLC bank account, some of which were made shortly before or after he was recorded as having made a large cash “buy-in” of gaming chips at the Mohegan Sun Casino.”
"*" indicates required fields
Winding down the press release, HUD explained the consequences for these criminals. The document explained, “Judge Williams ordered Bernardo to pay $58,927.25 in restitution. Bernardo, who is released on a $250,000 bond, is required to report to prison on May 22. On November 1, 2022, DiMassa pleaded guilty to three counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is awaiting sentencing and has agreed to pay restitution of $1,216,541.80.”
Concluding the account, the document read, “On December 2, 2022, a jury found Trasacco, whose companies received approximately $431,982 through this scheme, guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. He is awaiting sentencing. On July 12, 2022, Lauren DiMassa, who received $147,776 through this scheme, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.”
Watch Elon Musk fight corruption here: