Democrat Massachusetts lawmaker arrested for fraud, used stolen funds to purchase ‘psychic services’: feds
A federal grand jury has indicted a Massachusetts Democrat for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars from a construction trade association he ran — and using the cash to pay off campaign debts and purchase a clothes dryer, air conditioner, dress shirts and “personal psychic services.”
State Rep. Christopher Flanagan raked in between $60,000 and $80,000 in salary as executive director of a Home Builders Association (HBA) on Cape Cod — but was on a tight budget as he began his 2022 campaign for the Bay State legislature.
In the handed up by a Boston grand jury Thursday, prosecutors alleged that Flanagan stole $36,000 from the trade association for personal expenses between November 2021 and January 2023 — including $974.94 for an electric dryer and air conditioner, $1,050.30 for menswear at Macy’s and $92.86 at Target.
Flanagan “also stole hundreds of dollars in HBA funds to pay for personal psychic services in July 2022,” the filing stated.
The rest of the money allegedly went to pay down thousands of dollars in credit card debt, mortgage payments and missed bank overdraft fees Flanagan had incurred before seeking office — as well as several campaign expenses.
For instance, the lawmaker falsely claimed to have purchased office supplies for his 2022 bid — but the funds actually went toward social media marketing and campaign t-shirts, prosecutors said.
To conceal the wire transfers from the HBA, Flanagan allegedly logged into the organization’s bookkeeping system under another employee’s account, backdated entries and used “false transaction codes.”
Flanagan also obstructed an investigation by the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) into phony campaign mailers he purportedly distributed and paid for with $10,000 in HBA funds under a pseudonym — “Jeanne Louise” — from a group named “Conservatives for Dennis,” a reference to Flanagan’s hometown on Cape Cod.
He admitted to OCPF investigators that he had lied about being the source of the mailer scheme in October 2023, prosecutors said, prompting a larger probe of his finances.
Flanagan began collecting up to a $100,000 salary after winning office in November 2022, giving him breathing room on some finances as the investigation delved deeper.
“Today’s charges against Massachusetts State Representative Christopher Flanagan reveal an appalling breach of public trust,” said Massachusetts US Attorney Leah Foley.
“No one is entitled to power by way of fraud, and the people of Massachusetts deserve better.”
The Justice Department has charged the Democrat with five counts of wire fraud and one count of falsifying records.
Flanagan currently faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison and forfeiture of assets. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
