Davis men plead guilty in federal fraud case

McCluskie previously served as chief of staff to Xavier Becerra, California’s former attorney general and secretary of health and human services under President Joe Biden.

The U.S. Attorney's Office outlined the following allegations contained in court documents: 

In 2021, Campbell and McCluskie conspired with Newsom’s then-chief of staff Dana Williamson and others to steal about $225,000 in funds from Becerra’s dormant political campaign to finance McCluskie’s “bicoastal lifestyle.”

“Collectively, they funneled the money through various business entities and disguised it as pay for what was, in reality, a no-show job for McCluskie’s spouse,” officials said in a news release announcing the guilty pleas.

In July 2024, at Williamson’s request, Campbell had three fake retroactive contracts created to respond to a subpoena Williamson had received questioning her company’s eligibility for Paycheck Protection Program loans and loan forgiveness. The PPP provided forgivable loans to small businesses to help them keep employees on the payroll during the pandemic.

Lobbying firms were not eligible to receive PPP loans. Campbell signed the fake contracts, which made it appear as though Williamson provided only non-lobbying services to her clients, and her firm was only a subcontractor for Campbell’s independently owned lobbying firm.

“Today Greg Campbell accepted full responsibility for his actions,” his lawyer, Todd Pickles, said in a statement released to the media. “Although neither Mr. Campbell nor his lobbying firm received any benefit, financial or otherwise, from the conduct to which he has pleaded guilty, he accepts the consequences of his actions."

On Nov. 12,  a 23-count indictment was unsealed, charging Williamson with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruct justice, subscribing to false tax returns and making false statements.

Williamson, a 53-year-old Carmichael resident who resigned as Newsom’s chief of staff in December 2024, has pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

A sentencing status hearing for both Campbell and McCluskie is set for Feb. 26, 2026, before Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. Williamson’s next court date, also a status conference set for 9:30 a.m. Dec. 11 in Nunley’s courtroom.

Campbell and McCluskie face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count of conspiracy.

If convicted, Williamson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud; up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of wire fraud; up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to obstruct and making a false statements; and up to three years in prison and a $100,000 fine for each count of subscribing to a false tax return.