Ex-State Rep. DiMassa Sentenced In Theft Of COVID-19 Relief Funds

WEST HAVEN, CT — Former State Rep. Michael DiMassa has been sentenced to 27 months in prison 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, 32, of West Haven, was also sentenced Wednesday to five years of supervised release following the prison term, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut Vanessa Roberts Avery announced.

U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams also ordered DiMassa to perform 100 hours of community service while on supervised release. Michael DiMassa was also ordered to pay $856,844.45 in restitution.

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 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, formerly known as Lauren Knox, 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 John Trasacco, of West Haven, through the submission of fraudulent invoices from L & H Company and JIL Sanitation Services, two companies controlled by Trasacco, 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. Trasacco’s companies received approximately $431,982 through this scheme.”

Williams noted that the sentence takes into account “extensive testimony” DiMassa provided during Trasacco’s trial, according to officials.

DiMassa pleaded guilty on Nov. 1, 2022, to three counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

DiMassa, who is released on a $250,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 31.

On June 14, 2022, Bernardo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was sentenced in March to 13 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $58,927.25 in restitution.

On July 14, 2022, Lauren DiMassa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She was sentenced in March to six months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $147,776 in restitution.

On December 2, 2022, a jury found Trasacco guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. He was sentenced in April to 96 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $143,994 in restitution.

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.