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Federal prosecutors say the Cape Cod Democrat stole from a trade group to fund personal expenses and political campaigns.
A campaign mailer distributed during Christopher Flanagan’s 2022 campaign for state Representative was purported to come from a group called “Conservatives for Dennis.” Officials said Flanagan created an alias to hide his role in paying for the mailer. US Department of Justice
A Massachusetts state representative is facing new federal charges in an alleged scheme to steal tens of thousands of dollars from a Cape Cod trade association to fund personal expenses, political costs, and what prosecutors described as luxury purchases.
State Rep. Christopher Flanagan, a 38-year-old Dennis Democrat who represents the First Barnstable District, was initially indicted in April 2025 on five counts of wire fraud and one count of falsifying records. Federal prosecutors announced Friday that additional charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and filing false tax returns have now been filed against him.
In the updated indictment, prosecutors accuse Flanagan of allegedly stealing $36,000 from the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Cape Cod while serving as the group’s executive officer between 2019 and 2024. Authorities say he used the money to pay mortgage bills, credit card debt, campaign expenses, menswear, home appliances, and “personal psychic services,” according to a press release.
Investigators say the alleged scheme ran for 14 months, between November 2021 and January 2023, through wire transfers, direct debit transactions, and unauthorized withdrawals from the organization’s bank accounts. Officials also claim Flanagan faked records and created phony personas to conceal the alleged thefts.
One of those purported cover-ups involved a political mailer sent out during Flanagan’s 2022 campaign for state rep. Prosecutors say Flanagan created a fake identity connected to a group called “Conservatives for Dennis” to hide his involvement in the mailer. Flanagan previously paid campaign finance penalties tied to the incident, according to prosecutors.
In April, Flanagan pleaded not guilty to the original charges during a federal court appearance in Boston. He was released without bond under conditions that included surrendering his passport and reporting to probation officials, prosecutors said.
Following the allegations, Gov. Maura Healey was among those who called for Flanagan to resign.
“These are serious allegations against Representative Flanagan that threaten to undermine the important work of the Legislature and cast doubt on his ability to faithfully serve his constituents,” Healey said following his arrest. “He should resign.”
Each wire fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, along with fines and supervised release, according to prosecutors. The falsification charge also carries a potential 20-year prison sentence.
Morgan Rousseau is a freelance writer for Boston.com, where she reports on a variety of local and regional news.
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