Former Mashpee Leader Admits Tax Fraud Linked to $1B Casino Project
- Cromwell admits to underreporting $177K in taxable income
- Convictions tied to stalled First Light casino project reinstated
- Supreme Court declined to hear Cromwell’s final appeal
Cedric Cromwell, who once led the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in Massachusetts, has pleaded guilty to federal tax fraud charges. This plea comes three years after he was sentenced to prison for soliciting bribes in connection with a tribal casino venture.
In 2022, Cromwell was convicted for accepting bribes while overseeing a $5 million consultancy contract for an architectural firm associated with the tribe’s ambitious $1 billion First Light Casino Project in Taunton, Massachusetts. This major development project is still unbuilt.
Initially, a federal judge dismissed some of Cromwell’s convictions after the trial, but a federal appeals court overturned this ruling in September 2024, reinstating the guilty charges. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review Cromwell’s appeal in May 2025.
Seeking Closure
Recently, Cromwell entered a guilty plea on four federal counts concerning the filing of false tax returns, admitting to failing to report over $177,000 in taxable income from 2014 to 2017 while serving as the tribal chair and head of its gaming authority.
His attorney, Daniel Cloherty, mentioned to a local news outlet that Cromwell and his family are ready to conclude this prolonged legal entanglement. “After many years of litigation, they’re looking forward to finally having the matter resolved,” Cloherty stated.
In 2016, the First Light project, which was funded by Genting, was poised to commence, with aspirations of fostering economic independence for the Mashpee, descendants of the tribe that shared the first Thanksgiving feast with the Pilgrims.
However, federal court proceedings put a halt to the project, prompting the Trump administration to seek the revocation of the tribe’s land-in-trust status. This decision was reversed under the Biden administration, reinstating the tribe’s sovereign land and rekindling hopes for the casino’s future.
Dismissed from Office
Cromwell’s tenure ended abruptly after his indictment by a federal grand jury in November 2020. He was found guilty of soliciting bribes from David DeQuattro, the owner of RGB Architects based in Rhode Island. The bribes included checks, a Bowflex home gym, and a hotel stay, as detailed in legal documents.
Interestingly, DeQuattro managed to overturn his conviction on appeal due to insufficient evidence to demonstrate his intention to participate knowingly in the bribery scheme.
In stark contrast, it was determined that Cromwell’s actions were indeed intended to extort, evidenced by a distinct pattern of payments, requests, and efforts to conceal the transactions.
This decision remained valid when the US Supreme Court refrained from examining Cromwell’s case earlier this year. Cromwell is set to face sentencing this November for both tax offences and the reinstated extortion offences, with the tax return charges potentially carrying a maximum of three years in prison and monetary penalties that could amount to $100,000. Each extortion count could result in twenty years of incarceration, along with fines of up to $250,000.
Summary
Cedric Cromwell’s guilty plea to tax fraud marks a significant legal fallout linked to his prior malpractices involving tribal connectivity and fiscal management concerning the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. This case illustrates the complex relationship between tribal gaming projects and legal accountability, emphasising the profound consequences of oversight and greed. As Cromwell awaits sentencing, ongoing discussions regarding the future of the First Light Casino continue to evolve, highlighting the aspirations and struggles within tribal gaming enterprises.