A former top aide to California Governor Gavin Newsom, Dana Williamson, was indicted on federal charges alleging her involvement in a scheme to steal campaign money from former federal Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra. She was arrested and scheduled to make her first court appearance on Wednesday in Sacramento, CNN reported. The federal indictment names four co-conspirators and alleges that Williamson conspired with Sean McCluskie, who served as Becerra’s chief of staff at the time, to divert about $225,000 from Becerra’s dormant campaign account over more than two years.According to the indictment, Williamson began assisting McCluskie in April 2022 by using her political consulting company to bill Becerra’s campaign account for purported services. The funds were then funnelled to McCluskie’s wife for work supposedly done for Williamson. When she prepared to join Newsom’s office in late 2022, she arranged for “Co-Conspirator 2” — an unnamed former public official — to take over her role in the scheme.The indictment includes details of emails, calls and meetings regarding the alleged scheme and cover-up while Williamson served as chief of staff to Governor Newsom, a position she held until late 2024.Williamson was also charged with falsifying business contracts to secure Paycheck Protection Program loans her company received during the Covid-19 pandemic. She allegedly asked an associate to create a retroactive contract stating her company provided services to his company so that she would be eligible for the loans and loan forgiveness.The indictment further accuses her of filing fraudulent tax forms for her business from 2021 to 2023, claiming more than $1 million in business deductions for personal expenses, including luxury handbags and jewellery, private jet travel, holidays in Mexico, installation of a home HVAC system, and several hundred thousand dollars paid to various relatives for fake jobs.Court filings show that McCluskie signed a plea deal on October 30, agreeing to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and to pay $225,000 in restitution to Becerra.In a statement, a spokesperson for the Governor said: “Ms. Williamson no longer serves in this administration. While we are still learning details of the allegations, the Governor expects all public servants to uphold the highest standards of integrity.”FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel said the investigation began more than three years ago, under the Biden administration. Williamson faces 23 charges, including conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruct justice, subscribing to false tax returns and making false statements. If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison.Williamson is a longtime Democratic power player in Sacramento. She served as a Cabinet secretary for Governor Jerry Brown before founding a political affairs firm. She was also Becerra’s campaign manager in his 2018 attorney general campaign and later returned to state government as Newsom’s chief of staff.
