Massachusetts state Representative Christopher Flanagan, a Democrat for the First Barnstable District, was indicted by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts in an alleged fraud and cover-up scheme.
Flanagan’s lawyer, Greg Henning, confirmed to Newsweek via email that he will appear alongside Flanagan in court on Friday.
Newsweek has also reached out to Flanagan’s office and Massachusetts House Democratic leadership via email on Friday.
Why It Matters
Public officials’ misconduct undermines public trust, raising concerns about state lawmakers and the legislature.
Flanagan faces potential jail time and removal from office, which would leave the seat vacant until a special election is held.
What To Know
Flanagan, a 37-year-old Dennis, Massachusetts, resident, was arrested Friday morning after a federal grand jury found him guilty of five counts of wire fraud and one count of falsification of records.
The indictment states that Flanagan served as the executive officer of a Home Builders Association in Cape Cod (HBA) from 2019 to 2024, a trade organization which he is accused of defrauding by secretly withdrawing “tens of thousands of dollars [from]”, “entering false information in HBA’s financial bookkeeping records,” and providing “false and misleading HBA financial information to the HBA Board.”
AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana/ Massachusetts State House
A chart of his reportedly “stolen” funds in the indictment shows that he stole $36,000 via wire transfer from November 2021 to January 2023. The indictment states that majority of these funds were used to pay personal mortgage, credit card debt, and $10,000 “to fund his campaign account” for office.
He also is accused of using funds to pay for “personal psychic services” which were not conducted through transfer, but via “direct debit transactions from the HBA.” Some of the personal purchases included an air conditioner, T-shirts supporting his political campaign, and clothing.
Beyond the five wire fraud counts, the grand jury also found him guilty of falsifying documents related to a campaign flier. The mailer from “Conservatives for Dennis” endorsed Flanagan, urging voters to “vote the person, not the party.”
Flanagan reportedly “obstructed” Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance’s (OCPF) investigation by “attributing the source of the Mailer to a false persona, ‘Jeanne Louise,'” whom he created for the endorsement, among other related actions. In October 2023, he admitted to OCPF that Jeanne Louise “was fake” and he was the source of the mailer.
Flanagan was first elected to represent the towns of Dennis, Yarmouth, and Brewster in 2022.
#BREAKING 🚨Mass. State Rep. Christopher Flanagan arrested on federal fraud charges. Allegedly used stolen funds for campaign funding, mortgage and credit card payments, psychic services, menswear. Defendant to appear in Boston federal court @ 2:30 PM.https://t.co/9coIisVBxD pic.twitter.com/ZcM4lX2axQ
— U.S. Attorney Massachusetts (@DMAnews1) April 11, 2025
What People Are Saying
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley said in a statement: “Today’s charges against Massachusetts State Representative Christopher Flanagan reveal an appalling breach of public trust. According to the indictment, Mr. Flanagan defrauded the very organization he was supposed to serve – allegedly funneling tens of thousands of dollars into his own pockets to pay off personal bills, buy luxury items and bankroll his political campaign.”
Thomas Demeo, acting special agent in charge of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office said in a statement: “The indictment of Christopher Flanagan demonstrates IRS – Criminal Investigations commitment to rooting out public corruption, at all levels of government. Flanagan not only stole from his employer to enrich himself, but also to fill the coffers of his campaign in an effort to become an elected official. Flanagan failed his constituents, who trusted in him to uphold the law, by using embezzled funds to become a State Representative and then actively obstructing the investigation into his scheme.”
Mike Kennealy, a Republican candidate for Massachusetts governor, wrote in an X, formerly Twitter, post on Friday: “I hope Maura Healey will join me in calling for Chris Flanagan’s immediate resignation.”
Julian Cyr, a Massachusetts state Democratic senator, wrote in an X post on Friday: “State Rep Chris Flanagan is facing serious charges and the criminal justice system must respect the principle of presumed innocence. However, I do not see how Chris can continue to serve. For the good of his constituents and his family, he must resign.”
Democratic Massachusetts House Speaker Ronald Mariano told Newsweek in an email: “This morning, the House learned through media reporting that Representative Chris Flanagan was arrested by federal authorities. While every American is entitled to due process, the charges that have been brought against Representative Flanagan are extraordinarily concerning, and undermine public trust in the Legislature. The House will continue to monitor the legal process as it plays out, and will take the appropriate steps if necessary to ensure accountability.”
What Happens Next?
Flanagan will appear in federal court in Boston at 2:30 p.m. on Friday.
While sentencing has not yet been decided, each wire fraud charge and the falsification of records charge carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, according to a DOJ news release.
Update 4/11/25, 1:06 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to include House Speaker Mariano’s statement.
Update 4/11/25, 12:26 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
