In a big move against corruption, authorities with the Trump Administration Department of Justice (DOJ) have arrested a Democratic lawmaker from the deep blue state of Massachusetts and charged him with a slew of corruption and electoral race-related embezzlement charges.
That lawmaker is Massachusetts State Representative Chris Flanagan, who was taken down by the DOJ on the morning of Friday, April 11. According to the DOJ, which quickly issued a press release about the charges and arrest itself, Flanagan embezzled around $36,000 to pay for campaign expenses, clothes, and credit card debt.
Beginning, the DOJ press release summarized the charges and conduct that led to them, providing, “Massachusetts State Representative for the First Barnstable District has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly orchestrating a multi-faceted scheme that defrauded a local trade association of tens of thousands of dollars, used to fund personal and political expenses and falsifying records to conceal his alleged conduct.”
Continuing, the DOJ noted that he faced not only wire fraud charges related to the embezzlement, but also a falsification of records charge for how he tried to cover it up. It said, “Christopher Flanagan, 37, of Dennis, Mass. was indicted on five counts of wire fraud and one count of falsification of records. Flanagan was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 2:30 p.m. today.”
Later on in the press release, the DOJ delved into how the Democrat lawmaker was in a position to embezzle tens of thousands of dollars. Introducing the matter, it described his role in the organization from which he stole, saying, “From approximately early 2019 to mid-2024, Flanagan also served as the Executive Officer of a Home Builders Association in Cape Cod (HBA) – a professional trade association that represented the Cape Cod building industry comprised of over 300 members. As HBA Executive Officer, Flanagan reported to a Board of Directors and had signatory authority over HBA bank accounts. Flanagan received annual salary and benefits ranging approximately from $65,800 to $81,600 from 2019 to 2024 from the HBA.”
Continuing, it noted why he appears to have stolen, saying, “It is alleged that, beginning in at least as early as October 2021, Flanagan was facing personal financial difficulty, with thousands of dollars in outstanding credit card debt, missing mortgage payments and hundreds of dollars in bank overdraft fees. According to the indictment, from in or about November 2021 to January 2023, Flanagan stole a total of $36,000 in HBA funds from the association’s bank account via wire transfers.”
Then, describing how the Democratic lawmaker used the pilfered funds, and the other manner in which he stole from the organization, the DOJ provided, “Flanagan allegedly used the majority of the stolen funds to pay personal mortgage bills, to pay down thousands of dollars in credit card debt and to make other personal expenditures. In one instance, in January 2023, Flanagan allegedly stole $10,000 from HBA in order to fund his campaign account for State Representative. It is further alleged that, in addition to stealing HBA funds via official checks and PayPal transfers, Flanagan also stole hundreds of dollars via direct debit transactions from the association’s bank account funds to pay for personal psychic services in July 2022.”
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Additionally, it delved into how he tried covering up the theft – the basis of the falsification of business records charge – saying: “According to the indictment, on or about May 5, 2024, Flanagan concealed the stolen funds from the HBA Board by logging onto HBA’s accounting/bookkeeping software using another employee’s account, entering backdated transactions to account for the stolen funds and entering false transaction codes (e.g., “office supplies,” “travel” and “bank charges”) for the withdrawals. As part of his concealment, it is alleged that Flanagan told the HBA Board that he withdrew funds to reimburse himself for HBA-related expenses that he had paid for out-of-pocket with his personal funds. When the HBA Board requested proof, Flanagan allegedly provided two phony expense reports.”
After describing the evidence that he stole the money and how he tried to lie about the source of funds, the DOJ described the potentially quite harsh sentencing he faces, saying, “The charges of wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of falsification of records provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.”