Ex-aide to California Democrats admits guilt in scheme to steal campaign funds from health secretary
Williamson admitted to siphoning about $225,000 from a dormant Becerra campaign account and agreed to pay restitution to the IRS, prosecutors said.
- On Thursday, Dana Williamson pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy, wire fraud, and making false statements in a case involving the theft of campaign funds from gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra.
- Prosecutors alleged Williamson, Sean McCluskie, and Greg Campbell siphoned $225,000 from Becerra's campaign to help McCluskie relocate to Washington for his role in the Biden administration.
- Under the plea terms, Williamson agreed to pay $225,000 in restitution to Becerra and $500,000 to the IRS, while the government will dismiss 20 additional counts related to tax and COVID-era loan charges.
- Opponents have seized on the charges in negative ads to question Becerra's judgment, with the plea coming just over two weeks before the primary election that will determine his path forward.
- Prosecutors typically avoid political cases within 60 days of an election, yet Becerra remains one of six Democrats vying for the seat Newsom is vacating as a sentencing date remains to be scheduled.
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69 Articles
Gavin Newsom's Former Chief of Staff Pleads GUILTY in Massive Fraud Scheme
Well, what do you know? Yet another Democrat has just admitted to carrying out a major fraud scheme. This time, it’s California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former Chief of Staff, Dana Williamson. Last November, Williamson was charged alongside nearly two dozen other co-conspirators for partaking in a $225K plot to siphon funds from a dormant political campaign for Democrat Xavier Becerra. On Thursday, she plead guilty to three felony charges in exchange…
Day Around the Bay: Former Newsom Aide Pleads Guilty to Fraud Involving Becerra Campaign Funds
California State University is trying out three-year degrees with some of its undergraduate programs; police are in search of four smash-and-grab suspects in Concord; and Newsom’s former-chief of staff pleaded guilty in a scheme to defraud Becerra’s campaign.
California Governor’s Former Chief of Staff Takes Plea Deal in Corruption, Fraud Case
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff pleaded guilty on May 14 in a federal public corruption case after taking a plea deal earlier this week. Political consultant Dana Williamson, 53, of Carmichael, California, stands accused of funneling campaign funds from former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to his aide. Williamson signed the plea deal on May 11, admitting to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud,…
Santa Cruz Sentinel
Former Newsom chief of staff pleads guilty to scheme that bled money from Becerra’s account
In a corruption scandal that shocked Sacramento, Dana Williamson was accused of conspiring with Becerra’s longtime chief of staff and another Sacramento lobbyist to divert $225,000 from Becerra’s dormant state campaign.
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