Executive Summary
- Dana Williamson, a former top aide to Gov. Gavin Newsom, has been indicted on 23 federal charges, including fraud and conspiracy.
- The indictment alleges she orchestrated a scheme to steal $225,000 from a campaign account of HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.
- Williamson is also accused of fraudulently obtaining pandemic-era PPP loans and filing false tax returns claiming over $1 million in personal expenses.
- A co-conspirator, Sean McCluskie, has reportedly signed a plea deal in connection with the case.
Dana Williamson, a former chief of staff to California Governor Gavin Newsom, was indicted on federal charges for allegedly leading a scheme to embezzle $225,000 from a campaign account belonging to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. Williamson was arrested and made her initial court appearance in Sacramento.
The federal indictment alleges that Williamson conspired with Sean McCluskie, Becerra’s former chief of staff, to divert the funds from Becerra’s dormant campaign account over a two-year period starting in April 2022. According to prosecutors, Williamson used her political consulting firm to bill the campaign for services that were never rendered, subsequently funneling the money to McCluskie’s wife for purported work.
In addition to the campaign finance scheme, the indictment includes 23 charges against Williamson, including falsifying documents to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is also accused of filing fraudulent tax returns from 2021 to 2023, claiming over $1 million in personal expenses as business deductions. These expenses allegedly included luxury goods, private jet travel, and payments to relatives for non-existent jobs.
Court filings indicate that McCluskie signed a plea agreement on October 30, agreeing to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy and pay $225,000 in restitution. Governor Newsom’s office issued a statement confirming Williamson is no longer employed by the administration and that the governor expects all public servants to maintain the highest standards of integrity.
If convicted, Williamson could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. It is important to note that an indictment contains allegations, and all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
