Former Housing Authority Director Pleads Guilty to Falsely Reporting Data

Recently, the former director of the Chelsea Housing Authority pleaded guilty to four federal counts of falsely reporting his salary. Michael McLaughlin was charged last month with knowingly concealing his salary in annual housing authority budgets from 2008 to 2011 and submitting them to state and federal housing regulators.

Authorities allege that in the 2011 fiscal year, McLaughlin reported his annual salary as $160,415, when his actual salary was at least $283,471 and his total compensation was at least $324,896. He is also accused of falsely reporting his income in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

A plea agreement was filed in court and McLaughlin pleaded guilty to all four charges in U.S. District Court. McLaughlin resigned in 2011. Sentencing was set for May 14. He could face up to 20 years in prison, but prosecutors are expected to ask for a lighter sentence because of his cooperation.

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