A Massachusetts state Democrat lawmaker has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of fraud, according to reports.
Fox News reported that Massachusetts State Rep. Christopher Flanagan, 37, now faces five counts of wire fraud and one count of falsification of records.
The federal charges were revealed in a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
Flanagan allegedly stole tens of thousands of dollars from a local trade association.
He’s accused of using the stolen money to fund various personal and political expenses.
The Democrat allegedly began stealing funds from the trade organization after experiencing difficult financial issues, according to the charges.
Flanagan’s alleged illegal activities were committed through the Cape Cod-based Home Builders Association.
Fox News noted:
“Flanagan served as the executive officer of the Home Builders Association in Cape Cod and received a salary and benefits ranging from $65,800 to $81,600 from 2019 to 2024 when he was working there.
“Flanagan also received $97,546 and $100,945 in 2023 and 2024, from his position as a legislator.”
Flanagan reportedly began facing financial troubles in late 2021.
At the time, he began to steal 36,000 from the organization through a series of wire transfers.
Fox News added:
“From Nov. 18, 2021, and Jan. 28, 2023, Flanagan wired anywhere from $1,500 and $10,000 on several separate occasions.
“The Justice Department said Flanagan used the funds to pay mortgage bills, pay down debt, and even used it to pay for personal psychic services.”
Receipts show that Flanagan spent the money for personal reasons.
The personal spending included shopping trips to Best Buy and several other stores using the stolen funds.
He was also accused of obstructing an investigation by the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance “when he attributed the source of a campaign mailer to ‘Jeanne Louise,’ a false persona that he allegedly created,” the outlet added.
Christopher Flanagan, a 37-year-old Democratic State Rep from Massachusetts representing Cape Cod, was arrested on April 11, 2025, on federal charges of fraud. He faces 5 counts of wire fraud & 1 count of falsifying records, each carrying a potential 20yr sentence. 1 out of 250👀 pic.twitter.com/iwWEhFLMoh
— Meisha Tele (@frnnkdlxx) April 11, 2025
Users across social media reacted to the news of Flanagan’s arrest.
“Massachusetts politicians should be preemptively thrown in jail upon election and only released after heavy consideration,” one X user wrote.
Another X user wrote:
“Maybe in the future, report on a Mass Dem that’s not a corrupt scum bag.”
