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FELT FINE, THE FBI SAID HE RAN THE UNION LIKE AN OLD SCHOOL THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE -- MOB BOSS. THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE STATE POLICE UNION WALKING OUT OF FEDERAL COURT. EARLIER DANA PULLMAN APPEARED ALONGSIDE HIS CO-DEFENDANT LOBBYIST ANNE LYNCH. PULLMAN SERVED AS HEAD OF THE STATE POLICE ASSOCIATION OF MASSACHUSETTS FROM 2012 TO 2018. >> PULLMAN WITH LYNCH’S HELP BETRAYED THAT TRUST TO LINE HIS OWN POCKETS WITH ASSOCIATION FUNDS. >> FEDERAL PROSECUTORS ALLEGE IN 2014 PULLMAN BULLIED THE UNION’S TREASURER INTO OVERPAYING LYNCH’S FORMER LOBBYING FIRM. AFTER SHE WAS PAID LYNCH ALLEGEDLY CUT A CHECK PULLMAN’S WIFE FOR $20,000, A KICKBACK ACCORDING TO INVESTIGATORS. PULLMAN AND LYNCH ARE ACCUSED OF REPEATING A SIMILAR KICKBACK SCHEME TWO MORE TIMES AFTER PULLMAN DIRECTED COMPANIES TO LYNCH’S FIRM. THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT ALSO ALLEGES PULLMAN USED UNION FUNDS LIKE THEY WERE HIS OWN >> HE USED THE UNION DEBIT CARD TO PAY FOR $9,000 FOR FLOWERS THAT HE SENT TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY, $8,000 IN RESTAURANTS, AND THOUSANDS MORE ON TRAVEL , INCLUDING A TRIP TO MIAMI WITH A WOMAN WHOM PULLMAN WAS HAVING AN AFFAIR AT THAT TIME. >> MR. PULLMAN DID NOT ACT IN ANY RESPECT TO COMPROMISE HIS LOYALTY OR BETRAY HIS TRUST IN THE UNION. >> CURRENT UNION LEADERSHIP RELEASED A STATEMENT, "AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE ARE APPALLED AND ANGERED, BY THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF THESE ALLEGATIONS. OUR CURRENT MEMBERS ARE HONEST, HARDWORKING, AND DEDICATED TO PUBLIC SERVICE." >> THEY WERE ORDERED TO TURN OVER THEIR PASSPORTS AND STAY AWAY FROM ANY WITNESSES IN THIS CASE AND ARE DUE BACK IN COURT IN SEPTEMBER

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The former head of the State Police Association of Massachusetts and a Beacon Hill lobbyist have been arrested after a federal probe into the association’s finances was conducted. Dana Pullman, who was with the Massachusetts State Police for 30 years, was arrested Wednesday morning at his home in Worcester, the FBI said. Pullman resigned in September amid the probe and retired two months later. Anne Lynch, a lobbyist for Lynch Associates, was arrested at her home in Hull. The defendants are charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and obstruction of justice.Officials allege that, from 2012 to 2018, Pullman, Lynch and others were involved in a conspiracy that included illegal bribes and kickbacks that Pullman received from Lynch and her firm."More than 1,500 men and women at the State Police trust police to work for them in their best interests, but based on the complaint unsealed today, he betrayed that trust and, simply put, took their money,” U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said. Pullman is also accused of using a debit card tied to an association bank account to pay for thousands of dollars' worth of meals, flowers, travel and gifts for a person with whom Pullman was having an affair. Officials allege he embezzled at least $75,000.“Pullman’s actions were literally lacking a moral compass,” said Joseph Bonavolonta, a special agent in charge with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Pullman treated the association's bank account as his "own personal piggy bank," said Kristina O’Connell, a special agent with the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division. "Dana intends to strongly and vigorously deny the allegations. He contests that any payment from Anne Lynch was a bribe or kickback. They were checks in plain sight. His dealings were not in conflict with his loyalty to the union or his duties," Pullman's attorney, Martin Weinberg, said."Anne Lynch is no longer affiliated with Lynch Associates and has had no ownership interest in the firm since 2016," Greg D'Agostino, a partner at Lynch Associates, said in a statement. "She performed consulting services for a limited number of clients until 2018. At Lynch Associates, we take pride in our integrity and dedication to our clients. We will not be commenting any further on this matter."Pullman and Lynch appeared in federal court Wednesday afternoon and were released on $25,000 bond. Pullman was required to surrender his passport and firearms, stay in New England and avoid contact with people on the witness list. Lynch was also barred from any lobbying activity.