In one more gorgeous chapter of Democrat corruption, Massachusetts State Consultant Christopher Flanagan (D-First Barnstable) was arrested Thursday after being indicted on 5 counts of wire fraud and one rely of falsification of information in connection to a brazen scheme to steal tens of hundreds of {dollars} from an area commerce affiliation.
The embattled Cape Cod legislator allegedly used the stolen money to fund every thing from mortgage funds and Macy’s menswear to psychic companies, youngsters’s toys, and even his 2022 political marketing campaign.
Flanagan, 37, who represents the Cape cities of Dennis, Yarmouth, and Brewster, is now going through as much as 120 years in jail if convicted. He was arrested Thursday morning and is scheduled to look in federal court docket at 2:30 p.m.
In keeping with the bombshell federal indictment, Flanagan’s theft started in 2021 whereas he was serving as Govt Officer of the Residence Builders Affiliation of Cape Cod (HBA).
With private debt mounting and his financial institution accounts hemorrhaging from overdraft charges and missed mortgage funds, Flanagan allegedly started siphoning cash from the nonprofit — in the end embezzling not less than $36,000 by way of wire transfers, PayPal, and official checks.
Flanagan allegedly used the affiliation’s funds for:
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$10,000 to fund his personal political marketing campaign
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$1,000+ on males’s ties, gown shirts, and sports activities coats
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Lots of of {dollars} for psychic readings
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An air conditioner and an electrical dryer delivered to his dwelling
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Marketing campaign t-shirts disguised as “workplace provides”
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Toys and youngsters’s clothes from Goal
Flanagan allegedly created fraudulent expense studies and even logged into the HBA’s bookkeeping system utilizing one other worker’s credentials to hide the theft.
In keeping with the U.S. Legal professional, he fabricated phony receipts and labeled luxurious objects as “workplace provides” or “journey bills.”
Through MA’s Attorney’s Office:
As a part of his concealment, it’s alleged that Flanagan informed the HBA Board that he withdrew funds to reimburse himself for HBA-related bills that he had paid for out-of-pocket together with his private funds. When the HBA Board requested proof, Flanagan allegedly supplied two phony expense studies:
On the primary expense report, Flanagan allegedly claimed he had spent $159.36 on “Expertise Bills” at Finest Purchase on March 4, 2022 and $537.26 on “Workplace Provides” at 4Imprint on April 18, 2022.
Data of the particular purchases, nonetheless, allegedly confirmed that the Finest Purchase buy was for a conveyable Bluetooth speaker and that the 4Imprint buy was for t-shirts supporting Flanagan’s State Consultant marketing campaign:
Moreover, within the second expense report, Flanagan allegedly claimed to have spent a complete of $3,784.84 on “Workplace Provides.” Data of the particular purchases, nonetheless, allegedly confirmed that $2,118.10 of this quantity was really used for Flanagan’s private bills.
Particularly: $613.70 and $361.24 Finest Purchase purchases have been allegedly for an electrical dryer and an air conditioner, each delivered to Flanagan’s dwelling; a $1,050.30 Macy’s buy allegedly for males’s ties, gown shirts, slacks and sports activities coats; and a $92.86 buy at Goal allegedly for youngsters’s garments and toys.
In keeping with the indictment, in or about December 2022, the Massachusetts Workplace of Marketing campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) opened an investigation relating to a marketing campaign mailer that was distributed throughout Flanagan’s 2022 marketing campaign for State Consultant, purportedly a bunch referred to as “Conservatives for Dennis.”
When investigators closed in, Flanagan didn’t cease. As an alternative, he allegedly invented a faux conservative persona — “Jeanne Louise” — and created e-mail accounts to impersonate her and others, all in a determined try and deceive the Massachusetts Workplace of Marketing campaign and Political Finance (OCPF), which had launched a probe into his shady marketing campaign mailers.
When OCPF questioned a $10,000 donation to his marketing campaign made shortly after the theft, Flanagan doubled down — offering extra falsified information and claiming the funds have been his private cash, regardless of financial institution information displaying he had simply $42 in his account days prior.
Flanagan stays in workplace as of this writing, persevering with to gather a taxpayer-funded wage north of $100,000 a 12 months. He faces a most sentence of 120 years in federal jail and $1.5 million in fines. Sentencing will in the end be decided by a federal choose.
MassGOP urges Massachusetts Democrats to demand the speedy resignation of Rep. Chris Flanagan following his federal fraud arrest.
In keeping with the statement:
The Massachusetts Republican Celebration is asking on the Massachusetts Democratic Celebration to demand the speedy resignation of State Consultant Chris Flanagan, who was arrested this week on federal fraud fees. The fees allege that Flanagan stole tens of hundreds of {dollars} from his former employer to finance his political marketing campaign, pay his mortgage and bank cards, and fund private bills together with psychic companies and high-end menswear.
“This isn’t the primary time the Massachusetts Republican Celebration has referred to as for Chris Flanagan to resign,” stated MassGOP Chairwoman Amy Carnevale. “Again in January, when the Workplace of Marketing campaign and Political Finance discovered Flanagan liable for violating marketing campaign finance legal guidelines—together with fabricating a false alias to deliberately mislead his constituents—we stated then that he had no place in public workplace. The federal fees solely affirm what was already evident: Chris Flanagan is unfit to serve, and Massachusetts Democrats should demand his resignation now.”
Flanagan’s arrest will not be an remoted incident—it’s a part of a disturbing sample of misconduct throughout the Massachusetts Democratic Celebration. In simply the previous two weeks:
- Boston Metropolis Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, a Democrat, stays in workplace regardless of pleading responsible to a number of counts of fraud.
- A high-ranking MassDems Celebration operative was lately arrested for unspeakable and deeply disturbing crimes.
- Now, State Consultant Chris Flanagan faces federal legal fees for monetary fraud and deception.
“The Massachusetts Democratic Celebration has a significant issue,” continued Carnevale. “This isn’t about remoted dangerous actors—it’s a few tradition of corruption and entitlement that’s gone unchecked for much too lengthy. The MassDems should display they’re able to holding their very own accountable, beginning with calling for Chris Flanagan’s resignation right this moment.”
The Massachusetts Republican Celebration urges Democratic management to place the individuals of Massachusetts first, restore integrity in public service, and take a stand towards corruption by demanding Flanagan’s speedy elimination from workplace.
Whether or not the Massachusetts Democrat Celebration will take motion — or proceed to guard one in every of its personal — stays to be seen.
