Overview
- Dana Williamson, 53, was arrested as a grand jury indictment was unsealed, and she was scheduled to make her first federal court appearance in Sacramento on Wednesday.
- The indictment alleges roughly $225,000 was taken from former Health Secretary Xavier Becerra’s dormant campaign account and funneled to his then–chief of staff, Sean McCluskie; Becerra is not charged.
- Prosecutors say payments were routed through business entities and a purported no‑show job, with false and backdated contracts created after a 2024 subpoena related to PPP loans.
- Williamson is accused of filing false tax returns by claiming more than $1 million in personal spending as business deductions, including luxury travel, hotels, handbags and home furnishings.
- The FBI’s Sacramento office and IRS Criminal Investigation led the probe; the indictment names multiple co‑conspirators, additional charging documents are being unsealed, and Newsom’s office noted Williamson no longer serves in his administration.