The finance director for Boston’s Democrat Mayor Michelle Wu has been charged with money laundering, according to reports.
Freda Brasfield was arrested over an alleged prison drug smuggling scheme.
Brasfield serves as the Administration and Finance Director in Mayor Wu’s office and is described as a longtime Democrat activist and community organizer.
FOX 25 News in Boston is reporting that Brasfield was arraigned Friday on money laundering charges.
Brasfield, who is represented by Boston attorney David Meier, appeared in Woburn Superior Court, along with two co-defendants, Jaime Liberty and Jayleen Rivera.
Libert and Rivera are both facing charges of conspiring to smuggle drugs into MCI Shirley.
Brasfield entered a plea of not guilty to one charge of money laundering and a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
All three suspects were released on personal recognizance.
“A source tells Boston 25 News Fred Brasfield moved money in increments of $999 to avoid banking mandatory reporting limits of $1,000.00.
Freda Brasfield serves as @wutrain’s Administration and Finance Director, earning a salary of more than $120,000 dollars.” #bospoli #mapoli https://t.co/AihO6tzSbL— Paul Diego Craney (@pauldiegocraney) February 11, 2023
According to records on file at Woburn Superior Court, a grand jury indicted Freda Brasfield on December 15, 2022.
It is unclear why she was only arraigned this week after being indicted in December, however.
Prosecutors allege the smuggling scheme stretches back to January 2021 and that it involved a conspiracy to smuggle synthetic cannabinoids known as K2 and Spice into MCI Shirley.
Prosecutors say it involved four inmates, including Brasfield’s nephew, and five “non-incarcerated relations or significant others,” including Freda Brasfield.
Boston City Hall Financial Director Freda Brasfield was criminally INDICTED in DECEMBER 2022. But allowed to keep working/collecting a pay check under @MayorWu until today? City Hall failed to respond to @boston25 in a timely fashion. So much for #transparency Michelle Wu. Fraud! pic.twitter.com/8cGHfMOhJr
— Boston First Responders United (BFRU) (@BostonFRU) February 10, 2023
READ MORE: Top Democrat Donor Indicted for Fraud, Faces 20 Years in Federal Prison
