Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has moved to revoke or reduce the pension of a former West Haven housing specialist, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud involving the city’s COVID relief funds.
John F. Bernardo conspired with the then-state legislator Michael DiMassa to form a shell company, where the listed address was actually Bernardo’s home.
DiMassa had the city issue 13 checks from its COVID relief funding to that address, after submitting false invoices to the city for services the company never provided. The transfers totaled $636,783.70, of which Bernardo received a cut for his own personal use.
Tong wants to revoke Bernardo’s annual pension from the city of New Haven from his time as a firefighter, and then an investigator for the Fire Marshal’s Office.
His sentencing is scheduled for March 22.
