Mass. Rep. accused of spending stolen funds on mortgage, psychic and own political campaign
BOSTON, Mass. (WLNE) — A Massachusetts State Representative was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly defrauding his local trade association of $36,000 in funds for his personal expenses and debts.
Christopher Flanagan, A Democratic representative for the First Barnstable District was indicted on five counts of wire fraud after being arrested Friday morning.
His district represents Dennis, Yarmouth and Brewster.
Flanagan will appear in Boston federal court Friday at 2:30 p.m., according to the United States Attorney’s Office District of Massachusetts.
The alleged theft of funds stems from Flanagan’s time serving as the Executive Officer of the Home Builders Association in Cape Cod (HBA), which is a professional trade association.
He received benefits and an estimated salary of $65,800 to $81,600 from 2019 to 2024 from the HBA.
Flanagan, using his signatory authority over HBA accounts, is accused of stealing $36,000 in organization funds between November 2021 and January 2023.
He is accused of using these stolen funds to pay his mortgage bill, credit card debt, personal psychic services and to donate $10,000 to his own political campaign.
On or about May 5, 2024, Flanagan is accused of trying to cover his tracks by logging into the HBA Board accounting software using another employee’s account.
He allegedly entered backdated transactions to account for the stolen funds and provided two fake expense reports.
Two examples of this fraudulent spending include $159.36 on “technology expenses” at Best Buy in 2022, which authorities said was for a portable Bluetooth speaker.
He also allegedly spent $537.26 at a printing company on “office supplies,” which turned out to be t-shirts for his state rep. campaign.
Also fraudulently purchased were an electric dryer, air conditioner, men’s clothing and children’s toys, according to the United States Attorney.
Flanagan was also investigated by the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) in 2022 regarding a campaign mailer distributed during the 2022 campaign.
The mailer was from a group called “Conservatives for Dennis,” headed by “Jeanne Louise,” who Flanagan claimed was an independent conservative group supporting his candidacy.
Flanagan admitted in 2023 to OCPF that he created the Jeanne Louise persona and that he created and sent the mailer.
Flanagan was accused at this time of a $10,000 payment to his campaign using HBA funds as his personal funds reflected contrasting balances.
Flanagan claimed that the HBA allowed him to use their funds for the purpose of expense reimbursement and submitted an allegedly falsified report to that effect.
