On May 14, the Eastern District of California’s federal prosecutor’s office stated that Dana Williamson, a 53-year-old political consultant, has pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to transfer $225,000 from Xavier Becerra’s campaign account and making false statements. Xavier Becerra is currently running for governor of California, previously serving as the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services from March 2021 to January 2025, and former California Attorney General.
Hailing from Carmichael, Williamson also served as a senior advisor to California Governor Gavin Newsom. Newsom expressed concern for Williamson’s children upon learning of the situation. He emphasized the importance of public officials adhering to regulations and being accountable for their actions.
Becerra claimed he had no knowledge of the criminal activities of his former campaign manager and senior advisor, Williamson. In a statement, he said he had never been involved and official records confirmed that fact. In the latest poll on May 13, Becerra led the Democratic candidates with 19%, surpassing Republican candidate Steve Hilton’s 17%.
In November 2025, Williamson was indicted on 23 charges by the federal government. As part of a plea agreement, the charges were reduced to three, detailed as follows:
“Fraudulent Funds Transfer Scheme”: Court documents revealed that between February 2022 and September 2024, Williamson conspired with Greg Campbell, 52, from Davis, and Sean McCluskie, 57, to steal approximately $225,000 from Becerra’s dormant campaign account. McCluskie, a former chief of staff to Becerra, and Campbell, a political lobbyist in Sacramento, used multiple business entities to transfer funds disguised as payment for an assumed “no-show” job for McCluskie’s spouse.
False Tax Reporting: From 2021 to 2023, Williamson falsely reported approximately $1.718 million in business deductions, including expenses for food delivery, luxury vacations, private jet travel, alleged wages to family members, home supplies, veterinary services, landscaping fees, and other non-deductible personal expenses. Williamson’s false tax reporting resulted in around $504,523 in federal tax losses. As part of the plea agreement, she agreed to repay the entire amount.
False Statements: In November 2024, Williamson made false statements to FBI agents during questioning, including misappropriation of campaign funds, instructing Campbell to falsify contract dates on civil subpoenas, and allegations of public corruption to mislead the FBI’s investigation.
Williamson’s defense attorney, McGregor Scott, stated that the sentencing is scheduled for July 9, 2026, considering Williamson’s ongoing recovery from a liver transplant surgery, it might be postponed to September. McCluskie and Campbell have pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. Their sentencing is set for June 4, 2026.
The maximum penalties Williamson faces include conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, with a maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment, a $1 million fine, and $225,000 in restitution; false tax return filing, with a maximum sentence of 3 years imprisonment, a $100,000 fine, and $504,523 restitution to the IRS; and making false statements, with a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to KCRA, Scott mentioned that Williamson had no prior criminal record and will seek a sentence reduction based on the discretion factors of the federal sentencing guidelines to ensure the lowest possible term.
Federal prosecutor Eric Grant stated that as part of an investigation that began in 2022, Williamson and two other accomplices were indicted and pleaded guilty in a “Conduit Scheme” conspiracy case. He emphasized the importance of holding public officials accountable for misusing campaign funds for personal gain to maintain the integrity of the electoral process.
“No one, regardless of title or political background, is above the law,” said FBI Sacramento Division Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel, highlighting their years-long investigation in collaboration with the IRS Criminal Investigation unit into the theft of campaign funds, falsification of records, submission of false tax returns, and lying to federal investigators.
IRS Criminal Investigation Division’s Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen stated, “This fraudulent scheme was elaborate and had far-reaching consequences, involving pass-through payments for fund transfers, forging records, and various tactics to deceive federal investigators.”