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New Haven County resident Michael DiMassa, age 31, of West Haven, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Nov. 1 to charges stemming from his involvement in schemes that resulted in the theft of more than $1.2 million dollars in COVID relief funds and other funds from the City of West Haven, said Vanessa Roberts Avery, US Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, DiMassa was a Connecticut state representative who was also employed by the City of West Haven, most recently serving as the administrative assistant to the City Council.
In April 2020, the state was allocated money by the US Department of the Treasury through the Coronavirus Relief Fund for the purpose of helping pay costs incurred in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, court documents show.
From July 2020 through September 2021, the City of West Haven received approximately $1,150,257 in financial assistance from the fund, said Avery.
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, court documents show.
In one scheme, DiMassa conspired with John Bernardo, who was employed by the City of West Haven as a housing specialist. In January 2021, DiMassa and Bernardo formed Compass Investment Group.
Beginning in February 2021, Compass Investment Group 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, the US Attorney's Office said.
According to court documents from February 2021 through September 2021, the City of West Haven paid Compass Investment Group a total of $636,783.70.
DiMassa also conspired with his now-wife, Lauren DiMassa, 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, statements made in court show.
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, court documents show.
In a third scheme, DiMassa conspired with another individual through the submission of fraudulent invoices from companies, which were controlled by DiMassa’s co-conspirator, to West Haven for goods and services, including thousands of units of personal protective equipment in which he was paid $431,982 through this scheme.
DiMassa has agreed to pay restitution of $1,216,541.80 and pleaded guilty to three counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years on each count.
A sentencing date is not scheduled.
DiMassa has been released on a $250,000 bond since his arrest on October 20, 2021.
Bernardo and Lauren DiMassa each previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud. They await sentencing.
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