Former Newsom chief of staff accused in theft of campaign funds from Xavier Becerra

Dana Williamson, a former chief of staff for Gov. Gavin Newsom, was arrested and is facing charges that include fraud, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and making false statements, officials said Wednesday.A news release from the U.S. Department of Justice states that between February 2022 and September 2024, Williamson conspired to steal about $225,000 in funds from a dormant political campaign to another person’s account for personal use. She was among multiple people arrested in connection with the case.Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra confirmed the theft had targeted his campaign funds. Read the full indictment here.Court documents obtained by KCRA 3 listed Sean McCluskie as a co-conspirator who received the funds. At the time, he was chief of staff for Becerra, who is identified in the indictment as “Public Official 1.” “The news today of formal accusations of impropriety by a long-serving trusted advisor are a gut punch,” Becerra said in a statement to KCRA 3. Becerra said he is cooperating with the DOJ and that he understands the “importance of allowing this investigation and legal process to run its course through our justice system.”He is not implicated in the indictment. The 23-count indictment stated that McCluskie had worked with Becerra for many years. When he entered federal office, federal ethics rules prohibited him from actively engaging in campaign-related activities, so he allowed his state campaign account from when he was California’s attorney general to become dormant.Becerra moved those funds to a new campaign account for a future campaign and delegated responsibility to McCluskie for arranging the dormant accounts to be monitored and overseen by a third party.The indictment says that McCluskie talked about a “desire to have more money while continuing to work as Chief of Staff to Public Official 1.” Investigators say that Williamson, in control of the campaign funds, paid $10,000 a month into a bank account controlled by McCluskie, disguised as income for McCluskie’s spouse, when in fact she did no work for any of the companies listed. The DOJ release said that money was moved through various business entities and “disguised it as pay for what was, in reality, a no-show job.”DOJ alleges that Williamson also conspired with a business associate to create false contracts after a January 2024 subpoena regarding Paycheck Protection Program loans made to her business.She is also accused of making false tax returns, claiming more than $1 million in business deductions.However, DOJ states the funds were instead used for personal expenses, such as private jet travel, luxury hotel stays, home furnishings, designer handbags and deductions for no-show jobs for friends and family.“Disguising personal luxuries as business expenses—especially to claim improper tax deductions or to willfully file fraudulent tax returns is a serious criminal offense with severe consequences,” said Linda Nguyen, a special agent with the Internal Revenue Service, in the DOJ release.Williamson is also accused of lying to FBI agents when they asked her about the diversion of campaign funds, backdated contracts and allegations of public corruption. In all, the indictment lists five people as the conspirators in this alleged fraud scheme. They are: Williamson, McCluskie, McCluskie’s spouse, lobbyist Greg Campbell and a former California public official identified as “Co-Conspirator 2.”Campbell, a lobbyist, also signed a plea deal admitting to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Campbell used his company as a conduit for the campaign money to obscure that it was going to McCluskie’s wife.KCRA 3 learned Wednesday that “Co-Conspirator 2″ was Alexis Podesta, who inherited Williamson’s client portfolio when the defendant left to become Newsom’s chief of staff in late 2022, according to Podesta’s attorney, Bill Portnova.Portnova said Podesta did not know that the payments were fraudulent. Once she learned they were not proper, the payments ended. She has not been charged in this case and is cooperating with the investigation. According to the investigators’ timeline, the alleged crimes started before but continued while she was working for Newsom. Williamson was Newsom’s chief of staff from late 2022 until December 2024. Newsom’s office confirmed to KCRA 3 on Wednesday that it put Williamson on leave after she informed them last year that she was under criminal investigation. “Ms. Williamson no longer serves in this administration,” a spokesperson for Newsom said in a statement. “While we are still learning details of the allegations, the Governor expects all public servants to uphold the highest standards of integrity. At a time when the President is openly calling for his Attorney General to investigate his political enemies, it is especially important to honor the American principle of being innocent until proven guilty in a court of law by a jury of one’s peers.”Williamson appeared in federal court Wednesday afternoon and pleaded not guilty to the 23 counts against her. She was in handcuffs and wearing what looked like pajamas covered by a gray robe, KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reported. Judge Carolyn Delaney approved her release on $500,000 bond. Williamson could be heard sniffling and crying softly during the proceedings. She’s next due in court on Dec. 11. Outside of the courthouse, Williamson would not comment on the case and deferred to her attorney. The attorney also did not comment. If convicted, she could face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of bank fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud.Additionally, she could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to obstruct and make false statements, along with three years in prison and a $100,000 fine for each count of subscribing to a false tax return.Court records also showed that McCluskie and Campbell have taken plea deals in connection with the case. McCluskie admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and agreed to pay back $225,000. The investigation began three years ago when then-President Joe Biden was in office. As part of her conditions for release, Williamson will have to surrender her passport and is prohibited from consuming alcohol or drugs. She also cannot contact any of the co-conspirators. Her lawyer said in court that her health is in a “precarious situation” but did not give details.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel–The Associated Press contributed to this story.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Dana Williamson, a former chief of staff for Gov. Gavin Newsom, was arrested and is facing charges that include fraud, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and making false statements, officials said Wednesday.

A news release from the U.S. Department of Justice states that between February 2022 and September 2024, Williamson conspired to steal about $225,000 in funds from a dormant political campaign to another person’s account for personal use. She was among multiple people arrested in connection with the case.

Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra confirmed the theft had targeted his campaign funds.

Court documents obtained by KCRA 3 listed Sean McCluskie as a co-conspirator who received the funds. At the time, he was chief of staff for Becerra, who is identified in the indictment as “Public Official 1.”

“The news today of formal accusations of impropriety by a long-serving trusted advisor are a gut punch,” Becerra said in a statement to KCRA 3.

Becerra said he is cooperating with the DOJ and that he understands the “importance of allowing this investigation and legal process to run its course through our justice system.”

He is not implicated in the indictment.

The 23-count indictment stated that McCluskie had worked with Becerra for many years. When he entered federal office, federal ethics rules prohibited him from actively engaging in campaign-related activities, so he allowed his state campaign account from when he was California’s attorney general to become dormant.

Becerra moved those funds to a new campaign account for a future campaign and delegated responsibility to McCluskie for arranging the dormant accounts to be monitored and overseen by a third party.

The indictment says that McCluskie talked about a “desire to have more money while continuing to work as Chief of Staff to Public Official 1.”

Investigators say that Williamson, in control of the campaign funds, paid $10,000 a month into a bank account controlled by McCluskie, disguised as income for McCluskie’s spouse, when in fact she did no work for any of the companies listed.

The DOJ release said that money was moved through various business entities and “disguised it as pay for what was, in reality, a no-show job.”

DOJ alleges that Williamson also conspired with a business associate to create false contracts after a January 2024 subpoena regarding Paycheck Protection Program loans made to her business.

She is also accused of making false tax returns, claiming more than $1 million in business deductions.

However, DOJ states the funds were instead used for personal expenses, such as private jet travel, luxury hotel stays, home furnishings, designer handbags and deductions for no-show jobs for friends and family.

“Disguising personal luxuries as business expenses—especially to claim improper tax deductions or to willfully file fraudulent tax returns is a serious criminal offense with severe consequences,” said Linda Nguyen, a special agent with the Internal Revenue Service, in the DOJ release.

Williamson is also accused of lying to FBI agents when they asked her about the diversion of campaign funds, backdated contracts and allegations of public corruption.

In all, the indictment lists five people as the conspirators in this alleged fraud scheme. They are: Williamson, McCluskie, McCluskie’s spouse, lobbyist Greg Campbell and a former California public official identified as “Co-Conspirator 2.”

Campbell, a lobbyist, also signed a plea deal admitting to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Campbell used his company as a conduit for the campaign money to obscure that it was going to McCluskie’s wife.

KCRA 3 learned Wednesday that “Co-Conspirator 2” was Alexis Podesta, who inherited Williamson’s client portfolio when the defendant left to become Newsom’s chief of staff in late 2022, according to Podesta’s attorney, Bill Portnova.

Portnova said Podesta did not know that the payments were fraudulent. Once she learned they were not proper, the payments ended. She has not been charged in this case and is cooperating with the investigation.

According to the investigators’ timeline, the alleged crimes started before but continued while she was working for Newsom. Williamson was Newsom’s chief of staff from late 2022 until December 2024. Newsom’s office confirmed to KCRA 3 on Wednesday that it put Williamson on leave after she informed them last year that she was under criminal investigation.

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NEW: Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office confirmed they put Dana Williamson on leave as soon as she informed them last year she was under criminal investigation.

Her last day was in November 2024. https://t.co/eMdYNmOkVg

— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) November 13, 2025

“Ms. Williamson no longer serves in this administration,” a spokesperson for Newsom said in a statement. “While we are still learning details of the allegations, the Governor expects all public servants to uphold the highest standards of integrity. At a time when the President is openly calling for his Attorney General to investigate his political enemies, it is especially important to honor the American principle of being innocent until proven guilty in a court of law by a jury of one’s peers.”

Williamson appeared in federal court Wednesday afternoon and pleaded not guilty to the 23 counts against her.

She was in handcuffs and wearing what looked like pajamas covered by a gray robe, KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reported.

Judge Carolyn Delaney approved her release on $500,000 bond. Williamson could be heard sniffling and crying softly during the proceedings. She’s next due in court on Dec. 11.

Outside of the courthouse, Williamson would not comment on the case and deferred to her attorney. The attorney also did not comment.

If convicted, she could face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of bank fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud.

Additionally, she could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to obstruct and make false statements, along with three years in prison and a $100,000 fine for each count of subscribing to a false tax return.

Court records also showed that McCluskie and Campbell have taken plea deals in connection with the case.

McCluskie admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and agreed to pay back $225,000.

The investigation began three years ago when then-President Joe Biden was in office.

As part of her conditions for release, Williamson will have to surrender her passport and is prohibited from consuming alcohol or drugs. She also cannot contact any of the co-conspirators. Her lawyer said in court that her health is in a “precarious situation” but did not give details.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

–The Associated Press contributed to this story.