Newsom's Ex-Aide Indicted In Scheme To Steal Campaign Money From Former CA Attorney General: DOJ

A former top aide to Gov. Gavin Newsom was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury in what prosecutors claim was a scheme to steal campaign money from former U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra campaign coffers.

Dana Williamson, 53, of Carmichael, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and obstruct justice, subscribing to false tax returns, and making false statements, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The 23-count indictment was unsealed following Williamson's arrest Wednesday morning. She's set to make her first court appearance in connection to the charges Wednesday afternoon in Sacramento, prosecutors said.

Williamson — who was Newsom’s chief of staff from late 2022 until late 2024 — is accused of being a part of a scheme involving Sean McCluskie, who was Becerra’s chief of staff at the time of the scheme.

Becerra was California's elected attorney general from 2017 to 2021. He was appointed health secretary by former President Joe Biden in March 2021. He is not implicated in the indictment.

The indictment alleges that the Williamson and McCluskie took money from Becerra’s dormant campaign account and funneled it to McCluskie between February 2022 and September 2024. It alleges they stole about $225,000 over a period of more than two years.

They're accused of funneling the money through various business entities and discing it as pay for a no-show job for McCluskie spouse, according to the indictment.

Williamson is also accused of working with an associate to create false, backdated contracts after receiving a subpoena in 2024 from the U.S. Attorney's Office regarding pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program loans to Williamson's business, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Additionally, she's accused of falsely claiming more than $1 million in business deductions for personal, non-deductible expenses like "private jet travel, luxury hotel stays, home furnishings, and designer handbags, as well as deductions for no-show jobs for friends and family," the U.S. Attorney's Office wrote in a release.

“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,” a spokesperson for Newsom said in a statement.

Williamson's indictment claims four other co-conspirators were involved in the scheme, including McCluskie and lobbyist Greg Campbell. One co-conspirator is identified only as "McCluskie's spouse," another is identified as a "former California public official" who provided lobbying and consulting services.

If convicted as charged, Williamson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of bank fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud; up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to obstruct and making a false statements; and up to three years in prison and a $100,000 fine for each count of subscribing to a false tax return, according to prosecutors.

None of the accused could be reached by Patch for a statement at the time of publication.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.