Williamson, who served as Governor Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff, was charged with multiple counts of bank and wire fraud, along with conspiracy to commit fraud related to a dormant political campaign account for former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
She pleaded not guilty during a court appearance and was released on $500,000 bond.
Campbell, a well-connected lobbyist and former high-level staffer in the California Assembly, is also implicated in the scheme and has ties to Activision Blizzard, which began paying his lobbying firm in late 2022.
A third individual, Sean McCluskie, a longtime aide to Xavier Becerra, is named in the indictment and has agreed to plead guilty to related charges.
The investigation, which began over three years ago, centers on allegations that the operatives siphoned campaign funds for personal use, including luxury expenditures falsely claimed as business expenses.
Federal authorities have also shown interest in the defendants’ involvement with "Corporation 1," a pseudonym widely believed to refer to Activision Blizzard, which was the subject of a state-led sex discrimination investigation.
Williamson and Campbell both worked as advisors to Activision Blizzard, with Campbell’s firm receiving $240,000 from the company in 2023 and 2024.
The FBI has reportedly inquired about California’s $54 million settlement with Activision in December 2023, though the precise focus of the federal inquiry remains unclear.
Another figure, Alexis Podesta, has not been charged but is identified as a cooperating co-conspirator in the case.
Prominent Cali pols were arrested in a federal public corruption probe.
<><>Sean McCluskie, longtime aide to HHS Secy Xavier Becerra, pleaded guilty to related charges.
<><>political figure, Alexis Podesta, id’ed as a cooperating co-conspirator in the case.
<><>Dana Williamson was Newsom’s COS,
<><>she is charged with multiple counts of bank and wire fraud,
<><>and conspiracy to commit fraud related to a dormant campaign account
<><>She pleaded not guilty and was released on $500,000 bond.
<><>Greg Campbell, a connected lobbyist and ex-high-level staffer in the Cali Assembly, is implicated
<><>he has ties to Activision Blizzard, which began paying his lobbying firm in 2022.