BOSTON – A former Massachusetts State Senator has been indicted for the third time since July, this time on federal charges.
Dean Tran, 48, of Fitchburg, was arrested today on charges of wire fraud and filing false tax returns, as per the 28 count indictment in federal court in Boston.
Tran, 48, faces 25 counts of wire fraud and three counts of filing false tax returns. He was apprehended this morning and scheduled for an appearance in federal court in Boston today.
The indictment details that Tran, who represented Worcester and Middlesex in the State Senate from 2017 to January 2021, allegedly engaged in fraudulent activities following his term. He is accused of improperly applying for pandemic unemployment benefits in 2021 and collecting $30,120 in pandemic unemployment benefits, while simultaneously employed as a consultant for a New Hampshire-based automotive parts company.
Prosecutors also allege Tran concealed over $50,000 in consulting income from the same company on his 2021 federal income tax return. This purported concealment of income also extends to rental income from a Fitchburg property, which he allegedly failed to disclose to the IRS from 2020 to 2022.
Tran was indicted in July on state charges related to the theft of a firearm from an elderly constituent and misleading investigators. In September he was indicted for violations of state ethics laws.
“The indictment returned by the grand jury alleges that Former State Senator Tran exploited pandemic unemployment benefits – diverting critical resources intended for deserving individuals genuinely in need,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Our office and our law enforcement partners are committed to safeguarding the integrity of public assistance programs and holding accountable those who exploit them – no matter who they are – particularly during times of widespread hardship.”
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $100,000.
