Ex-State Rep. DiMassa Pleads Guilty To Theft Of COVID-19 Relief Funds

WEST HAVEN, CT — Former State Rep. Michael DiMassa has pleaded guilty to charges in connection with the theft of more than $1.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds and other funds from the City of West Haven, according to officials.

DiMassa, 31, of West Haven, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Hartford to conspiracy charges stemming from his involvement in several fraud schemes, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut Vanessa Roberts Avery announced.

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.

West Haven received approximately $1.15 million in federal funds from the CARES Act from July 2020 through Sept. 2021 to help pay for costs incurred in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“DiMassa, who was authorized to approve the designated relief funds for the reimbursement of COVID-related expenditures incurred by West Haven, conspired with others 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,” officials wrote in a news release. “In one scheme, DiMassa conspired with John Bernardo, who was employed by the City of West Haven as a Housing Specialist in the office of Community Development Administration. In January 2021, DiMassa and Bernardo formed Compass Investment Group, LLC. Beginning in February 2021, Compass Investment Group LLC fraudulently billed the City of West Haven and its ‘COVID-19 Grant Department’ for consulting services purportedly provided to the West Haven Health Department that were not performed. From February 2021 through September 2021, the City of West Haven paid Compass Investment Group a total of $636,783.70. DiMassa made several large cash withdrawals from the Compass Investment Group LLC bank account, some of which were made shortly before or after he was recorded as having made a large cash “buy-in” of gaming chips at the Mohegan Sun Casino.”

Authorities said DiMassa also conspired with his now wife, Lauren DiMassa, through the submission of numerous fraudulent invoices to West Haven for services related to a Youth Violence Prevention Program and for Youth Violence COVID-19 Associated Expenses.

“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 news release states. “West Haven made at least 16 payments totaling approximately $147,776.10 to Lauren DiMassa, who never provided any services to the City of West Haven.

“In a third scheme, DiMassa conspired with another individual through the submission of fraudulent invoices from companies, which were controlled by DiMassa’s co-conspirator, to West Haven for goods and services, including thousands of units of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), HVAC maintenance at multiple municipal locations, COVID supplies for the Board of Education, and cleaning services for various municipal and school buildings, including one school building that had been vacant and abandoned for several years. The co-conspirator’s companies received approximately $431,982 through this scheme.”

DiMassa has agreed to pay restitution of $1,216,541.80, according to officials.

DiMassa pleaded guilty to three counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years on each count, according to officials. A sentencing date hasn’t been scheduled.

DiMassa has been released on a $250,000 bond since his arrest.

Bernardo and Lauren DiMassa each previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud. They await sentencing.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form here.