Authorities arrested Massachusetts State Rep. David Nangle earlier this week, charging him with campaign funds misappropriation. The Feds say that he used campaign funds to make personal expenses and visit casinos.

Nangle in trouble

Rep. Nangle is facing 28 charges in a federal court related to the allegations that he spent campaign funds for his personal use. The Middlesex Democrat pleaded not guilty to all charges in the US District courtroom in Boston. However, the US Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts argued that he was deep in debt and frequently gambled in casinos and online. The campaign funds he received were used to pay for gift cards that he used himself. He also used the money to send flowers to his girlfriend and rent cars that would drive him to the casinos.

The indictment further claims that Nangle filed falsified tax returns between 2014 and 2018 and made deductions for consulting work. In 2014, he also made false loan applications in which he misstated his debts and income. He used funds received from the funds to fuel his gambling habit.

Gambling habits takes down Nangle

Nangle is a member of the state legislature since 1999 and also served as a chairman of the State House Ethics Committee. US Attorney Andrew Lelling said that his decision to gamble with funds was not a “momentary lapse of judgment or a technical foul.” He followed a systematic pattern of fraud and theft since at least 2014. He used people close to him to accomplish his goals.

For now, Nangle has been released on a $25,000 unsecured bond. However, US District Judge M. Page Kelly has restricted his travels outside of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. He will also have to stop gambling altogether, including online and land-based casinos and lotteries or other similar methods.

The indictment suggests that Nangle had cash flow issues because of his gambling habit. He was a regular at two New Hampshire casinos, two Connecticut casinos, and one casino each in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. He also placed “thousands” of bets on online venues, which has made him lose tens of thousands of dollars. In January 2013, he didn’t have any opposition from his seat but managed to raises hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign funds which he then used for personal expenses.

His lawyer William Connolly said that the client against the lawmaker is mere allegations and they will fight them in court. If he loses, he could face up to 30 years in prison.