COURTS & LEGAL

Former Connecticut lawmaker gets 27 months in prison for stealing coronavirus aid

May 31, 2023, 12:01 PM

FILE - Former state Rep. Michael DiMassa, left, arrives at U.S. District Court in Hartford, Conn., ...

FILE - Former state Rep. Michael DiMassa, left, arrives at U.S. District Court in Hartford, Conn., with his attorney John Gulash, Nov. 1, 2022. DiMassa is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday, May 31, 2023, for stealing more than $1.2 million from the city of West Haven, Conn., most of it in federal coronavirus-related aid, and using a good chunk of it to fuel his gambling addiction. (Jessica Hill/Hartford Courant via AP, File)/Hartford Courant via AP)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(Jessica Hill/Hartford Courant via AP, File)

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A former Connecticut state representative was sentenced to 27 months in prison on Wednesday for stealing more than $1.2 million from the city of West Haven — most of it in federal coronavirus-related aid — and using a good chunk of it to fuel his gambling addiction.

“I stole that money. That is on me,” Michael DiMassa said as he apologized during his sentencing before Judge Omar Williams.

“It’s hard to find the word to express how I feel. I feel ashamed, embarrassed, mortified,” the West Haven Democrat said.

DiMassa, 32, had asked for leniency. He could have gotten more than four years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines. He was ordered to report to prison on July 31 and remains free on bond.

“Mr. DiMassa suffered from a debilitating gambling addiction at the time of the offense,” his lawyer, John Gulash, wrote in a court filing, “and his essentially unfettered access to a deep pool of federal funds and total lack of impulse control facilitated his precipitous downward spiral.”

The lawyer compared DiMassa to Howard Ratner, the gambler played by Adam Sandler in the movie “Uncut Gems.” He said he bet on things as frivolous as how long the national anthem would take to perform at the Super Bowl, or what color Gatorade would be poured on the winning coach.

He did much of his gambling and betting at the Mohegan Sun casino in eastern Connecticut.

US to lift most federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates next week

At the time of the thefts, which began in mid-2020, DiMassa was both a state representative and an aide to the West Haven City Council, with authority to approve reimbursements for coronavirus-related expenses. He pleaded guilty in November to three counts of wire fraud conspiracy, admitting that he and others billed West Haven for legal, lobbying and consulting services that were never provided.

DiMassa and a business partner, John Bernardo, also a former West Haven city employee, pilfered nearly $637,000, prosecutors said.

Bernardo pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was sentenced to 13 months in prison in March.

In a second scheme, DiMassa and another business owner, John Trasacco, conspired to submit fraudulent invoices from Trasacco’s companies to the city, netting nearly $432,000 in COVID-19 aid. Nearly all of that went to Trasacco, who was sentenced to eight years in prison in March after a jury convicted him of fraud.

The final conspiracy involved DiMassa and his wife, Lauren DiMassa, and the theft of nearly $148,000, authorities said. The couple submitted phony requests for payments by the city related to a youth violence prevention program. Those pilfered funds were not federal coronavirus aid.

Lauren DiMassa, who is pregnant with the couple’s second child, pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced in March to six months in prison. She recently reported to prison.

In addition to his prison sentence, Michael DiMassa was ordered to pay nearly $866,000 in restitution to the city of West Haven. His codefendants were ordered to pay restitution to make up the rest of the stolen money.

“The defendant was a public official elected to serve his constituents,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing documents. “Instead, he completely betrayed that trust by stealing public funds for his own benefit.”

DiMassa resigned from the Legislature and the city of West Haven after his arrest in 2021.

He had cited several reasons for leniency including his lack of any previous criminal record, his testicular cancer and being able to care for his children.

KSL 5 TV Live

Courts & Legal

Kouri Richins, a Utah mother of three who authorities say fatally poisoned her husband then wrote a...

Mary Culbertson

Detectives: Kouri Richins’ mother had a romantic partner who also died of ‘suspicious overdose’ in 2006

New information reveals Kouri Richins' mother was involved in an eerily similar situation to her daughter in 2006.

12 hours ago

Handcuffs...

Alexander Campbell

Police: Man breaks into Taylorsville home, touches child, then hides under bed

After touching a 14-year-old child on the chest and hiding under a bed, a man is behind bars.

3 days ago

cuffs hang on a pipe against a wall...

Alexander Campbell

Three Florida residents arrested after a string of thefts in Utah County

Three Florida residents were arrested in American Fork on Thursday, following an extensive fraud investigation by American Fork police.

3 days ago

Donald Trump is juggling a busy court and campaign schedule as he defends himself in several crimin...

Devan Cole and Amy O'Kruk, CNN

See Trump’s busy legal and election calendar in 1 chart

Donald Trump is juggling a busy court and campaign schedule as he defends himself in several criminal cases while also vying for a second term in the White House.

3 days ago

Hoover standing in court....

Emily Ashcraft, KSL.com

Jury finds Matt Hoover guilty of murder of Provo police officer

An eight-person jury found Matt Frank Hoover guilty of aggravated murder on Friday.

3 days ago

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 23: Bad Bunny performs during a stop of the Most Wanted Tour at T-Mobi...

Tim Vandenack, KSL.com

Bad Bunny sues alleged bootlegger over videos posted to YouTube from Salt Lake City show

Bad Bunny's performance last month in Salt Lake City is now at the center of a federal court case.

4 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

Users display warnings about the use of artificial intelligence (AI), access to malicious software ...

Les Olson

How to Stay Safe from Cybersecurity Threats

Read our tips for reading for how to respond to rising cybersecurity threats in 2023 and beyond to keep yourself and your company safe.

Former Connecticut lawmaker gets 27 months in prison for stealing coronavirus aid