California Governor Gavin Newsom’s former Chief of Staff was arrested by the FBI in a public corruption probe.
Feds charged Dana Williamson and other co-conspirators with 23 counts of obstruction of justice, false statements, bank and wire fraud on Wednesday, according to the indictment reviewed by The Sacramento Bee.
“Williamson, who left the Governor’s Office in December 2024, is named along with Greg Campbell, Sean McCluskie and two others on conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. There are 23 counts in total; the 18 bank and wire fraud charges each carry a maximum of 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines,” The Sacramento Bee reported.
Newsom’s office desperately distanced themselves from the scandal.
“Ms. Williamson no longer serves in this administration. While we are still learning details of the allegations, the Governor expects all public servants to uphold the highest standards of integrity. At a time when the President is openly calling for his Attorney General to investigate his political enemies, it is especially important to honor the American principle of being innocent until proven guilty in a court of law by a jury of one’s peers,” Newsom’s office told the Sacramento Bee.
According to federal prosecutors, between February 2022 and September 2024, Williamson and co-conspirators diverted $225,000 in funds from a dormant political campaign for personal use.
The money was funneled through various business entities and disguised as pay, according to federal prosecutors.
Per the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of California:
According to court documents, between February 2022 and September 2024, Williamson conspired with others to divert approximately $225,000 in funds from a dormant political campaign to an associate’s personal use. Collectively, they funneled the money through various business entities and disguised it as pay for what was, in reality, a no-show job.
The indictment also alleges that Williamson conspired with a business associate to create false, backdated contracts after receiving a civil subpoena in January 2024 from the U.S. Attorney’s Office regarding Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans made to Williamson’s business.
Williamson also subscribed to false tax returns claiming more than $1 million in business deductions for what were actually personal and nondeductible expenditures, such as private jet travel, luxury hotel stays, home furnishings, and designer handbags, as well as deductions for no-show jobs for friends and family.
When questioned by FBI agents in connection with ongoing investigations into the diversion of campaign funds, the backdated contracts, and allegations of public corruption, Williamson made false statements to the agents regarding each of those topics.
Williamson is scheduled to make her initial appearance on the charges at 2:00 p.m. in the U.S. Courthouse in Sacramento.
The United States concurrently unsealed charging documents related to this case for two other individuals charged by information.
“Today’s charges are the result of three years of relentless investigative work, in partnership with IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “The FBI will remain vigilant in its efforts to uncover fraud and corruption, ensuring our government systems are held to the highest standards.”
“Disguising personal luxuries as business expenses—especially to claim improper tax deductions or to willfully file fraudulent tax returns is a serious criminal offense with severe consequences,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen. “IRS-CI will pursue charges against those who deliberately exploit their business for personal enrichment.”
The post BREAKING: Newsom’s Former Chief of Staff Arrested by the FBI on Bank and Wire Fraud Charges appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.