DiMassa's Wife Sentenced In West Haven COVID-19 Fraud Scheme: Feds

WEST HAVEN, CT — The wife of former State Rep. Michael DiMassa has been sentenced to six months in prison for participating in a scheme to steal COVID-19 relief funds from West Haven, according to officials.

Lauren DiMassa, formerly known as Lauren Knox, 38, of West Haven, was also sentenced Thursday in Hartford federal court to five years of supervised release following the prison term, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut Vanessa Roberts Avery announced.

DiMassa was also ordered to serve the first six months of her supervised release in home confinement and to pay $147,776 in restitution.

Michael DiMassa, a Democrat who represented the 116th District including parts of West Haven and New Haven, was arrested Oct. 20, 2021 on a federal complaint. He then resigned from his seat in the state House of Representatives and as Administrative Assistant to the West Haven City Council.

From July 2020 through September 2021, the City of West Haven received approximately $1.15 million in federal CARES Act funding to assist with the COVID-19 pandemic response.

Michael DiMassa, who was authorized to approve the designated relief funds for the reimbursement of COVID-related expenditures incurred by West Haven, “conspired with Lauren DiMassa, John Bernardo, and John Trasacco to steal these funds and other West Haven funds through the submission of fraudulent invoices, and subsequent payment, for COVID relief goods and services that were never provided,” according to a news release.

“Between approximately July 2020 and October 2021, Michael DiMassa submitted fraudulent invoices to West Haven for services related to a Youth Violence Prevention Program and for Youth Violence COVID-19 Associated Expenses,” officials wrote in a news release. “These invoices listed charges for in-home counseling, cleaning supplies, special needs hourly service, wi-fi assistance for low/moderate income families, counseling services, license fees, a fall youth clinic, meals, support group supplies, equipment rental, and youth clinic support group. The payment vouchers requested that checks be made out to directly to Lauren DiMassa.

“West Haven made 16 payments totaling approximately $147,776.10 to Lauren DiMassa, who never provided any services to the City of West Haven. Michael and Lauren DiMassa used the proceeds for their own benefit.”

Lauren DiMassa was arrested on February 18, 2022. She pleaded guilty July 14, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She was released on a $50,000 bond and is required to report to prison on May 23, according to officials.

Michael DiMassa pleaded guilty in November to three counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is awaiting sentencing and has agreed to pay restitution of $1,216,541, officials said.

On June 14, 2022, Bernardo, a West Haven city employee who with Michael DiMassa formed a company that they used to bill the city for fraudulent COVID-related consulting services, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was sentenced Wednesday to 13 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $58,927 in restitution.

On December 2, 2022, a jury found Trasacco, whose companies received approximately $431,982 through this scheme, guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. He is awaiting sentencing.