The wife of former State Representative and West Haven city employee Michael DiMassa has been sentenced to six months in prison, followed by home confinement, after pleading guilty to conspiring with her husband to steal COVID-19 relief funds from the City of West Haven, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
Lauren DiMassa, 38, formerly known as Lauren Knox, was sentenced Thursday to six months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. She was ordered to serve the first six months of her supervised release in home confinement and to pay $147,776.10 in restitution.
Between July 2020 and October 2021, Michael DiMassa submitted fraudulent invoiced to West Haven for services related to a youth violence prevention program and for youth violence COVID-19-related expenses, according to the U.S. Attorney.
The city made 16 payments to DiMassa totaling $147,776.10. The invoices listed charged for in-home counseling, cleaning supplies, special needs hourly service, wi-fi assistance for low and moderate-income families, licensing fees, equipment rentals, meals, and a fall youth clinic.
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The DiMassas never provided any services to West Haven, according to prosecutors.
Lauren DiMassa was arrested on Feb. 18, 2022, and pleaded guilty on July 14 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
She is required to report to prison on May 23.
Michael DiMassa pleaded guilty on Nov. 1 to three counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and is awaiting sentencing.
The U.S. Attorney’s office said he has agreed to pay restitution of $1.2 million.
Federal prosecutors said Michael DiMassa and 66-year-old John Bernardo, who was a housing specialist in West Haven's Office of Community Development Administration, formed Compass Investment Group, LLC in January 2021 and in February 2021, the company fraudulently billed the City of West Haven and its “COVID-19 Grant Department” for services that were not performed.
Between February 2021 and September 2021, the City of West Haven paid Compass Investment Group more than $636,000 and federal officials said Bernardo received a portion of these funds.
The judge ordered him to pay $58,927.25 in restitution.
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