Seems like somebody’s watching too much Long Island Medium.
Massachusetts state Rep. Christopher Flanagan was busted Friday for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from a local trade association to pay his personal expenses—including “personal psychic services.”
In January 2023, Flanagan allegedly stole $10,000 to fund his campaign for state representative, posing as a person named “Jeanne Louise.” When authorities tried to investigate, he told them Jeanne Louise was part of a conservative group that had endorsed him and sent out mailers to potential voters.
Prosecuting U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said it was “an appalling breach of public trust.”
The Democratic lawmaker was indicted on five counts of wire fraud and one count of falsification of records, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). He used the stolen cash to pay mortgage bills and his own massive debt. He now faces up to 40 years in prison.
“In addition to stealing HBA funds via official checks and PayPal transfers, Flanagan also stole hundreds of dollars in HBA funds to pay for personal psychic services in July 2022, which Flanagan conducted via direct debit transactions from the HBA FCU account,” the indictment said.
Gov. Maura Healy called for Flanagan to resign on Friday.
Flanagan served as the executive officer of the Home Builders Association in Cape Cod, which paid him up to $81,600 per year from 2019 to 2024. He also got about $100,000 in both 2023 and 2024 from his position as a legislator.
But his hefty salary still wasn’t enough to pay off all he owed. Starting in October 2021, the lawmaker fell on hard times and ended up stealing $36,000 in Home Builders Association funds through bank wire transfers, according to the DOJ. From late 2021 to early 2023, Flanagan wired anywhere from $1,500 to $10,000 on separate occasions.
Foley said Flanagan was “facing personal financial difficulty, with thousands of dollars in outstanding credit card debt, missing mortgage payments and hundreds of dollars in bank overdraft fees.”
The secret shoppers busted out the big bucks for items at Best Buy, Macy’s, and Target. He claimed he was spending “technology services” when, instead, he was getting a Bluetooth speaker and T-shirts for his political campaign.
The indictment reads: “Records of the actual purchases, however, showed that the $613.70 and $361.24 Best Buy purchases were for an electric dryer and an air condition, both delivered to Flanagan’s home; the $1,050.30 Macy’s purchase was for men’s ties, dress shirts, slacks, and sports coats; and the $92.86 purchase at Target was to pay for children’s clothes and toys.”
Foley added in a Friday statement that “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. He allegedly stole money and then went to extraordinary lengths to cover it up, going so far as fabricating fake personas to mislead those who questioned his conduct.”
Earlier this year, when state Republican Party leaders called for Flanagan to resign, he snapped at them.
“Especially on the eve of Jan. 6, I’m not going to engage in political mudslinging,” he said. “I’m proud to represent everyone in my district, whether they are Democrats, Republicans, or unaffiliated.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to Flanagan for comment.
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