Democrat lawmaker convicted of fraud insists he's still entitled to his $800k taxpayer-funded pension as he sues to have it reinstated
A former Democratic lawmaker in the Massachusetts legislature convicted of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from his campaign account now claims his past crimes shouldn't keep him from collecting his more than $800,000 state pension.
Democrat David Nangle, 65, represented part of the city of Lowell and its surrounding area, about 30 miles north of Boston, for 20 years before controversy over his use of campaign money to fund a gambling addiction destroyed his political career.
In early 2020, Nangle was indicted on 28 charges including counts of wire fraud, bank fraud, making a false statement to a bank and filing false tax returns.
Prosecutors alleged the lawmaker used more than $70,000 from his campaign account to gamble and cover other personal expenses, lied to a bank in a loan application to secure $300,000 and failed to pay tens of thousands of dollars in taxes.
He was specifically accused of using the campaign funds to pay for Lowell Golf Club dues, rental cars to travel to casinos, flowers for his girlfriend, gas, hotels, restaurants, gift cards and cash withdrawals.
Prosecutors said that Nangle was in heavy debt due to a years-long gambling addiction, which was characterized by frequent use of online casinos and visits to physical casinos in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
In order to pay off his debts, the lawmaker lied to Lowell Bank about his income and the amount of money he owed so that he could receive a $300,000 loan. He was also accused of filing false tax returns from 2014 to 2018.
Nangle initially pleaded not guilty to his charges but later adjusted his plea to guilty. In September 2021, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison. He was released in November 2022.
David Nangle, 65, was convicted of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from his campaign account to pay for his gambling addiction, but has gone to court to have his pension restored
Nangle has argued that his conviction was not tied to his role as a public official and claimed that losing his pension would leave him 'destitute'
Nangle was a representative in the Massachusetts state legislature from 1999 to 2020. The Massachusetts Legislature building is pictured
As part of his punishment, the state retirement board stripped Nangle of his $806,000 taxpayer-funded pension, but he has appealed to the Massachusetts Superior Court to reverse that decision, according to court documents reviewed by the Boston Globe.
The appeal, filed last week in Suffolk County, argued that his crimes were not connected to his role as a public official and that his conviction was 'personal in nature' in court documents.
Nangle added that his fraud did not involve 'governmental funds or property,' according to the Globe.
Nangle, a retirement-aged individual, has also claimed that being stripped of his pension would leave him 'destitute,' which would violate his constitutional protection from excessive fines.
But state officials have pushed back on both arguments. Officials and a lower court have agreed that Nangle's crimes were 'inextricably linked' to his position in government.
In a court filing, Lowell District Court Judge Pacinco DeCapua Jr said that the former lawmaker violated public trust and that he displayed 'a pattern of behavior over a long period of time.'
Judge DeCapua Jr also rejected the claim that Nangle would be left destitute without his pension, citing the fact that he currently has three jobs.
The former lawmaker is the co-founder and executive director of an anti-online gambling nonprofit called Stop iGaming in Massachusetts (SIGMA), which pays him $72,000 per year, according to court filings.
He is also an advisory panel member of the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health, works as a Certified Recovery Coach and is regularly booked for speaking engagements about the dangers of gambling, according to his profile on the nonprofit's website.
Nangle's political career was destroyed after he was indicted for stealing campaign funds and submitting a fraudulent loan application. The Massachusetts Legislature building is pictured
Nangle had a year-long gambling addiction, which was characterized by frequent use of online casinos and left him in debt. A stock image of an online casino is pictured
Judge DeCapua Jr wrote in a court filing that 'Every step of [Nangle's] current path is paved toward a road of redemption — not only for himself, but for others as well.' But the judge added that his conviction was directly tied to his public role.
It was 'only because he had been a member of the House of Representatives at the relevant time that he was in a position to illegally withdraw funds from his campaign account,' DeCapua Jr said.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Nangle's attorney for comment.
