Former Massachusetts State Senator Dean Tran, 48, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for wire fraud and filing false tax returns. Tran was found guilty of fraudulently collecting pandemic unemployment benefits while working as a paid consultant for an automotive parts retailer in New Hampshire. He also failed to report $54,700 in consulting income and concealed rental income from the IRS.
Tran, a Republican congressional candidate for the 3rd District, maintains his innocence and plans to appeal the verdict, claiming the investigation was politically motivated. In addition to his prison sentence, Tran must pay back over $25,000 to the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance, over $23,000 to the IRS, and a $7,500 fine.
Tran, who was the first Vietnamese American elected to state office in Massachusetts, previously faced ethics violations for having staff conduct campaign work during Senate business hours. Despite his legal troubles, Tran remains optimistic about his future in politics.
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