Politics & Government
State Rep. DiMassa Resigns Amid $630K Fraud Investigation
Rep. Michael DiMassa, who also worked for West Haven, is accused of defrauding the city out of more than $630,000 in COVID-19 relief funds.
WEST HAVEN, CT — State Rep. Michael DiMassa, of West Haven, has resigned his seat in the state legislature amid accusations that he defrauded the city out of more than $630,000 in COVID-19 relief funds.
DiMassa, 30, was arrested last Wednesday on a federal complaint. He appeared in federal court in New Haven and was released after posting a $250,000 bond.
DiMassa, a Democrat who represented the 116th District including parts of West Haven and New Haven, also recently resigned as the Administrative Assistant to the West Haven City Council.
Find out what's happening in West Havenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
DiMassa’s resignation from the state legislature sets up a special election for the 116th District seat in the coming weeks, CTNewsJunkie reported. He submitted his letter of resignation to the Secretary of the State’s Office on Monday.
“The allegations against Mike DiMassa are serious and very troubling," Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement. "If the allegations are true, he has not only broken the law but also betrayed the public trust. He had no choice but to resign. The citizens of West Haven and all of Connecticut deserve honest government.”
Find out what's happening in West Havenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
DiMassa and another person formed Compass Investment Group, LLC in January.
"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," officials wrote in a news release from the U.S. State's Attorney's Office. "From February 2021 through September 2021, the City of West Haven paid Compass Investment Group a total of $636,783.70."
DiMassa is also accused of making 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," the news release states.
DiMassa has been charged with wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison.
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