Federal prosecutors dropped a political bombshell with the arrest of Massachusetts State Rep. Chris Flanagan (D), who now faces serious fraud charges.
Flanagan was indicted for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the Cape Cod Home Builders Association (HBA), his former employer, while using the money to fund personal bills, campaign expenses, and even “psychic services,” according to federal prosecutors.
The Justice Department charged Flanagan with five counts of wire fraud and one count of falsifying records. He pleaded not guilty in a Boston federal courtroom and was released with strict conditions.
A federal judge barred Flanagan from gambling, incurring over $5,000 in credit card debt, or opening new credit lines over that amount without court approval. The judge also mandated that Flanagan either keep his current job or actively seek new employment.
“The government believes that certain conditions related to the defendant’s finances are necessary in this case,” prosecutors wrote in a July 22 court filing. Flanagan’s defense team agreed to the restrictions.
His attorney, Greg Henning, acknowledged the gambling and credit restrictions were already part of the release agreement and were just being formalized, per the Conservative Brief.
Prosecutors allege Flanagan wired approximately $36,000 from the HBA into personal accounts over 14 months, from November 2021 to January 2023. Flanagan was serving as HBA’s executive director while also sitting in the state legislature.
In total, he earned nearly $182,000 between the two roles—$100,945 from the state and up to $81,600 from the HBA. Despite that, federal officials say he was drowning in debt, missing mortgage payments, racking up credit card balances, and facing overdraft fees.
Flanagan allegedly fabricated fake personas to mislead others and conceal the thefts. Prosecutors claim the scheme was calculated and designed to manipulate both colleagues and donors.
“Today’s charges against Massachusetts State Representative Christopher Flanagan reveal an appalling breach of public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Leah Foley. “He allegedly stole money and then went to extraordinary lengths to cover it up… No one is entitled to power by way of fraud.”
Foley emphasized that Flanagan used the stolen money not only for personal luxury but also for political gain. She said the alleged embezzlement included funding his campaign and paying for services from a psychic.
The arrest was backed by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigations. Officials from both agencies slammed Flanagan for abusing his office.
“This arrest demonstrates that postal inspectors will not permit elected officials to commit fraud and play by different rules,” said Inspector Ketty Larco-Ward.
Thomas Demeo, acting special agent in charge of IRS-CI in Boston, said the case proves the agency’s commitment to “rooting out public corruption at all levels.”
The indictment comes as a major blow to Democrats in Massachusetts, who now face fallout from one of their own being charged with calculated and repeated financial crimes.
The post DOJ Arrests Massachusetts Democrat On Fraud Charges appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Anthony Gonzalez
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