Newsom's former chief of staff accused of stealing campaign funds from ex-Health Secretary Becerra

A political consultant who formerly worked as chief of staff for California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been indicted on fraud and tax crime charges, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday.

Dana Williamson, 53, of Carmichael, California, was arrested Wednesday morning. She was charged in a 23-count indictment with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and obstruct justice, subscribing to false tax returns and making false statements.

The investigation into the “political corruption” scheme started more than three years ago, said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant of the Eastern District of California.

Williamson, along with co-conspirators, diverted over $225,000 in funds from a dormant political campaign to an associate’s account for personal use between February 2022 and September 2024, prosecutors alleged in a news release.

Williamson served as Newsom’s chief of staff from late 2022 through December 2024, according to the indictment.

The indictment states that the funds were moved into the account of alleged co-conspirator Sean McCluskie, who was chief of staff for “Public Official 1.” The complaint didn’t directly name who the official was, but at that time, McCluskie was chief of staff for then-U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra.

Becerra served as health secretary from 2021 to 2025, and prior to that as California’s attorney general.

Williamson also allegedly disguised “personal luxuries as business expenses” and claimed improper tax deductions, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California said.

She also allegedly conspired with a business associate to create “false, backdated contracts” in the summer of 2024 after she was issued a civil subpoena in January 2024 related to Paycheck Protection Program loans — federal loans designed to aid struggling businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic — that were made to Williamson’s political consulting company, prosecutors said.

It’s not immediately clear whether Williamson has retained an attorney. She did not immediately respond to a request for comment left on the voicemail of a number believed to belong to her. She’s due to appear in court Wednesday afternoon.