Former Newsom Aide Arrested in $225,000 Fraud Scheme

Dana Williamson, a former chief of staff to California Governor Gavin Newsom, was arrested Wednesday in Sacramento on federal corruption charges accusing her of orchestrating a scheme to divert more than $225,000 from a dormant campaign account belonging to former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.

The 23-count indictment, unsealed in federal court, charges Williamson, 53, of Carmichael, with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, obstruction of justice, filing false tax returns, and making false statements. Prosecutors allege the scheme unfolded between April 2022 and September 2023, when Williamson and co-conspirator Sean McCluskie, Becerra's former chief of staff at the Department of Health and Human Services, funneled funds from Becerra's inactive campaign committee. The money, prosecutors say, was disguised as payments for nonexistent services through Williamson's political consulting firm and shell entities, ultimately benefiting McCluskie personally.

According to the indictment, Williamson billed the campaign for purported consulting work, then routed the funds to McCluskie's wife under the...