Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former top aide Dana Williamson pled guilty to federal fraud and tax charges after reaching a deal with prosecutors.

Williamson, who was Newsom’s chief of staff from 2022 and 2024 and a top Sacramento power broker, appeared at Robert T. Matsui U.S. Courthouse in Sacramento Thursday to enter her guilty plea to counts of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, subscribing to a false tax return and making false statements.

“Dana Williamson and her co-conspirators weaponized public trust for personal gain,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel in a statement. “They stole from a campaign account, fabricated contracts, filed false tax returns, and lied to federal agents … No title and no political connection places anyone above the law.”

Williamson was arrested in November 2025 in what prosecutors called a scheme to bilk $225,000 from a dormant campaign account to pay for personal expenses.

She was slapped with a sweeping 23-count federal indictment alleging conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, defrauding the United States, obstructing justice, filing false tax returns, and lying to authorities, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.

Remaining counts will be dismissed, according to court documents detailing the plea deal.

“These conspirators, three of whom are former public officials, shockingly looted campaign funds for personal benefit. Our office and our law enforcement partners will continue working to protect the integrity of the electoral process and ensure that those who scorn the law are held accountable,” said US Attorney Eric Grant in a statement.

Prosecutors described Williamson as ringleader of a plan to siphon funds from a dormant campaign account of Xavier Becerra, a former attorney general of California who’s now a leading candidate for governor.

Becerra was described as “Public Official 1,” a longtime California pol turned federal official under President Joe Biden, in the charging documents.

Click to read the charging documents.

Williamson was accused of raiding Becerra’s dormant state campaign account and funneling the money into accounts she controlled. Those funds were then steered to Sean McCluskie, Becerra’s former chief of staff, after he expressed a desire to “have more money,” according to prosecutors.

McCluskie and lobbyist Greg Campbell, another named accomplice, were also indicted and pled guilty to charges related to the theft of funds.

Williamson — who ran a public affairs firm and advised California heavyweights like Govs. Jerry Brown and Gray Davis — also allegedly falsely claimed personal expenses as business deductions, including a $150,000 trip to Mexico for her birthday and tens of thousands on Chanel and Fendi bags and an HVAC system for her home.

Williamson is also accused of funneling the money to Sean McCluskie, Becerra’s former chief of staff.

The co-conspirators grifted campaign funds to pay for a no-show job for McCluskie’s wife after Becerra was appointed head of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden, according to prosecutors.

Williamson’s attorney McGregor Scott said his client was only “trying to help a friend at a hard time.’ A sentencing hearing is set for July 9.

“My client lost money by design on this proposition,” Scott told reporters Thursday.

Newsom was not named in the filings.

At a press conference Thursday, he said he hadn’t yet gotten into “the details” but said the impact of the case would be hard on Williamson’s children.

“We’ve all got to be held to the letter of the law,” he said.

Asked about her admission of lying to the FBI, which took place when she was working in Newsom’s office, the governor said, “that was wrong.”

“We have high ethical standards and that’s just wrong, period,” Newsom said.

Becerra was also not accused of wrongdoing, but has been dogged by the scandal as he leads the field in the California governor’s race.

The longtime California poll has denied knowledge of his former aide’s activities but repeatedly faced uncomfortable questions about his ties to the probe.

After whether he is certain he isn’t implicated in the scandal, Becerra said after a rally Monday that he’s “moving forward” and “everyone will be accountable for their actions.”

“We feel very comfortable and confident about this election,” he said.

California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!
Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!