Federal jury convicts former Massachusetts state senator on 23 charges

A federal jury on Wednesday convicted a former Massachusetts state senator on nearly two dozen charges in connection with a scheme to defraud the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance.

Dean Tran, 48, of Fitchburg, was convicted of 23 charges stemming from his fraudulent application for pandemic unemployment assistance and false statements on various federal tax returns, according to the United States Attorney’s Office of Massachusetts.

Tran, who was arrested in November 2023, served as an elected member of the Massachusetts State Senate. He represented Worcester and Middlesex counties from 2017 to 2021.

During that time, federal investigators say he fraudulently applied for pandemic unemployment benefits after he had already accepted employment as a paid consultant for a New Hampshire-based automotive parts company, according to an indictment.

While working as a paid consultant, the feds say Tran fraudulently collected $30,120 in pandemic unemployment benefits and that he concealed over $50,000 in consulting income that he received from the automotive parts company on his 2021 federal income tax return.

Prosecutors said that money was in addition to thousands of dollars in rental income that Tran allegedly concealed from the IRS while collecting rent from tenants of a Fitchburg rental property from 2020 to 2022.

In June, Tran and his 54-year-old sister, Tuyet T. Martin, were indicted on obstruction of justice charges.

Investigators said the pair “attempted to cover up a sham job offer from the sister’s company to Tran.”

The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $100,000.

The charge of obstruction of justice provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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