On Nov. 12, 2025, federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment accusing Dana Williamson, 53, a former chief of staff to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, of conspiring to divert $225,000 from a dormant campaign account tied to Xavier Becerra. The Sacramento arrest brought 23 counts, including bank and wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction-related charges, and alleged false tax deductions exceeding $1 million. Williamson pleaded not guilty in federal court and was released on a $500,000 bond; she faces up to 20 years and $250,000 fines on several counts. The case follows related guilty pleas from Sean McCluskie and lobbyist Greg Campbell and remains an active, multi-year corruption probe by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
Key Takeaways
- Dana Williamson, 53, was indicted on Nov. 12, 2025, on 23 federal counts including conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud.
- Prosecutors say $225,000 was routed from a dormant campaign account tied to Xavier Becerra between 2022 and 2024.
- The indictment alleges Williamson claimed over $1 million in improper business deductions on her federal tax returns.
- Williamson pleaded not guilty and was released on a $500,000 bond at her initial Sacramento hearing.
- Sean McCluskie and Greg Campbell have pleaded guilty in the same investigation; McCluskie admitted a plea in October and Campbell pleaded guilty earlier this month.
- If convicted on major fraud counts, Williamson faces up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 per count.
- The next federal court date for Williamson is scheduled for Dec. 11, 2025.
Background
Dana Williamson has been a prominent Democratic operative in California for decades, serving in senior roles under governors Jerry Brown, Gray Davis and, most recently, Gavin Newsom. She managed high-profile campaigns, including Xavier Becerra’s successful 2018 attorney general run, and later worked in the Newsom administration for roughly two years before leaving in November 2024. Her firm consulting work and ties across Sacramento gave her longstanding access to campaign accounts and party finance networks.
The investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California began more than three years ago and has broadened to include multiple participants. Prosecutors say the scheme centered on a dormant campaign account that belonged to Xavier Becerra, who left California to serve as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Federal filings indicate alleged coordination among Williamson, Becerra’s then-chief of staff Sean McCluskie and lobbyist Greg Campbell to funnel campaign funds for personal enrichment.
Main Event
The indictment unsealed on Nov. 12 charges Williamson with a suite of offenses tied to transfers made from 2022 through 2024. According to the charging documents, Williamson and associates arranged for monthly transfers of $7,500 from Becerra’s dormant campaign account, routing funds through Williamson’s consulting business and Campbell’s public affairs firm before reaching McCluskie’s household. Prosecutors describe the final payments as compensation for a purported ‘‘no-show’’ position held by McCluskie’s spouse.
Federal authorities also allege that Williamson improperly wrote off more than $1 million in personal expenditures—items the indictment lists as luxury handbags, home improvements, hotel stays and a $10,000 cash gift—as business deductions on tax returns. Those alleged false returns are set out as separate counts in the charging instrument filed in Sacramento federal court.
At a brief arraignment, Williamson entered a not-guilty plea and was ordered released on a $500,000 bond. Judge Carolyn Delaney read the charges in court as family members and reporters looked on; prosecutors emphasized the breadth of alleged fraud while defense counsel criticized the timing and manner of the arrest. The case is part of a coordinated investigation that produced guilty pleas from McCluskie and Campbell earlier in the process.
Analysis & Implications
The indictment marks a consequential development for California Democratic politics. Williamson’s role as a behind-the-scenes dealmaker and consultant means the allegations could reverberate across campaigns, ballot measures and legislative negotiations where she was influential. Even without charges against senior officials like Becerra or Newsom, the case may prompt renewed scrutiny of campaign accounting practices and of vetting protocols for consultants who later take public-sector posts.
Legally, the prosecution combines classic fraud and tax-evasion elements with alleged violations of federal ethics rules applicable to executive-branch staff. Prosecutors rely in part on paper trails of transfers and corporate invoices that, they say, mask the true destination of funds. Defenders argue those records can be interpreted as legitimate consulting arrangements and dispute the characterization of expenditures as personal rather than business-related.
Politically, the timing intersects with preparations for the 2026 California governor’s race, in which Xavier Becerra is a declared candidate. While Becerra is not accused of wrongdoing, the case could create campaign messaging risks and compel opponents to press questions about oversight and judgment in staffing. For the Justice Department, the matter underscores an ongoing emphasis on public corruption cases at the state-federal nexus.
Comparison & Data
| Item | Alleged Amount |
|---|---|
| Funds diverted from campaign account | $225,000 |
| Alleged improper tax deductions | $1,000,000+ |
| Bond at arraignment | $500,000 |
| Counts charged | 23 |
| Potential max prison (major counts) | 20 years per count |
By contrast with some high-profile federal corruption cases involving millions of dollars, this indictment centers on a smaller but still significant alleged diversion of $225,000 and alleged tax losses above $1 million. The charges combine financial-accounting allegations with fraud and obstruction counts, a pattern common in cases where prosecutors tie spending records to purported concealment. The involvement of previously indicted or pleaded defendants—McCluskie and Campbell—gives prosecutors cooperating witnesses and documentary evidence that can accelerate pretrial developments.
Reactions & Quotes
Officials close to the Newsom administration moved quickly to distance the governor from the allegations. A spokesperson noted Williamson no longer worked in the administration and reiterated expectations of integrity for public servants, while denying any knowledge of an investigation involving Gov. Newsom.
Ms. Williamson no longer serves in this administration. While we are still learning details of the allegations, the governor expects all public servants to uphold the highest standards of integrity.
Izzy Gardon, Newsom spokesman
Williamson’s lawyer, McGregor Scott, criticized the U.S. Attorney’s office for arresting his client without prior notice and framed the move as unnecessary and theatrical. He also said federal contacts were ongoing for years and noted Williamson’s medical condition and recent placement on a transplant waiting list.
They chose the grandstanding route. The only conclusion I can draw is this is the latest misstep taken down the wrong road by the Trump Justice Department.
McGregor Scott, defense counsel
Xavier Becerra, whose dormant campaign account sits at the center of the allegations, was not charged and expressed dismay at accusations directed at a trusted adviser. He said he has cooperated with the DOJ and will continue to allow the legal process to run its course.
The news today of formal accusations of impropriety by a long-serving trusted adviser are a gut punch. I have voluntarily cooperated with the U.S. Department of Justice in their investigation, and will continue to do so.
Xavier Becerra, former California attorney general and HHS Secretary
Unconfirmed
- There is no public evidence in the indictment that Gov. Gavin Newsom was under investigation; reports that federal agents sought to question him remain unverified.
- Media accounts that suggest broader systemic misuse of funds across multiple campaigns have not been substantiated by charges in this indictment.
- The full scope of any financial benefit received by additional, unnamed individuals has not been established in court filings available to date.
Bottom Line
The indictment of Dana Williamson is a significant development in a long-running federal probe of political finance practices tied to a former California official’s campaign account. While the dollar amounts alleged—$225,000 in diverted funds and more than $1 million in disputed tax deductions—are modest compared with some federal corruption cases, the presence of high-profile political actors and cooperating guilty pleas raises the stakes for defendants and for political allies.
For Sacramento and national observers, the case underscores how close professional networks and post-government employment can create legal and ethical vulnerabilities. The coming weeks—through discovery, motions and the Dec. 11 court date—will determine whether prosecutors can translate the documentary and cooperating-witness evidence into convictions or whether the defense will blunt the case by undermining the purported intent and characterizations in the indictment.
Sources
- The New York Times — National newspaper reporting and unsealed indictment (primary report)
- The Sacramento Bee — Local news outlet first to report aspects of the indictment (regional press)
- U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California — Federal prosecutor office press page (official)