Massachusetts official diverted taxpayer funds intended for seniors for music studio recordings, 153 pounds of steak, framed portrait

A former Massachusetts official is charged with embezzling public funds meant for senior citizens and using the illegal profits for personal pleasures.

Federal prosecutors claim that over a five-year period, Thomas Clasby, the former director of the Quincy Department of Elder Services, embezzled tens of thousands of dollars in public funds and transferred them to a “personal slush fund.”

Clasby, a 60-year-old Fitchburg resident, allegedly began abusing his role in the city’s procurement system for personal gain in 2019. This was about 20 years after he was appointed head of elder services.

“Thomas Clasby’s alleged betrayal of trust is not just a theft from the City of Quincy but an affront to the seniors he was sworn to serve and the taxpayers who funded these programs,” Joshua Levy noted in his statement, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.

“As Director of Elder Services, Mr. Clasby was entrusted with protecting vulnerable members of his community. Instead, he allegedly used his position to fund personal indulgences,” Levy explained.

Among the alleged expenditures using taxpayer funds were:

• Approximately $8,950 for music studio recordings of his own vocals.
• Over $2,200 for a substantial quantity of bourbon steak tips.
• $4,800 towards the purchase of a Toyota Prius.
• $1,658 for a personalized, lacquered, and framed portrait of himself.
• Following his suspension and subsequent dismissal in April 2023, Clasby ceased his employment as the director of elder services in the Boston suburb, as reported by the Patriot News.

Additionally, it is claimed that Clasby planned a plot that included:

• The payment of over $38,000 of public funds to a New York consulting firm owned by an acquaintance.
• The consulting firm never provided any services to the city.
• Clasby’s friend received the city’s checks and subsequently transferred the cash to Clasby at designated locations, including a rest stop in Framingham, Massachusetts, and a ferry terminal in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
• Clasby faces serious charges, including embezzlement, mail and wire fraud, and the interstate transportation of stolen property. He pleaded not guilty during his federal court appearance on Wednesday afternoon, as reported by NBC 10 Boston.

A lengthy prison sentence lasting decades could be imposed on Thomas Clasby if he is found guilty on all counts.