Former New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart ran up thousands of dollars in clothing and jewelry charges on her taxpayer-funded credit card over nine years, according to the Crumbie Law Group report.
Investigators matched specific purchases to Stewart’s public appearances, finding dresses bought on the taxpayer-funded card showing up on her social media and on television, the report said.
Stewart also charged what the report called “an inordinate amount of jewelry, particularly bee-themed brooches,” to taxpayers, according to the report.
Republican former Mayor Erin Stewart used her taxpayer-funded credit card to build a wardrobe, according to the Crumbie Law Group report. The purchases, logged as “office supplies,” included dresses, maternity clothing, undergarments and jewelry, according to WTNH.
The Evidence Was Hard to Miss
Investigators did not have to look far to connect the purchases to Stewart personally. At least one dress purchased on Amazon appeared on Stewart’s social media months later, according to the Crumbie report.
A blue KOJIOON maternity dress (listed on Amazon for $57) was purchased with the taxpayer-funded card in July 2023. Stewart was later spotted wearing the same dress during an appearance on WTNH’s This Week In Connecticut with host Dennis Host, the Crumbie report found.
A “Sureple Women’s retro Sleeveless Swing Casual Work Summer Party Dress with Pockets” (listed on Amazon for $34.97) was purchased using the taxpayer card in May of 2023 only to appear on the Republican mayor in picture posted to her social media account three months later, the report found.
The maternity clothing was part of a broader pattern. Stewart purchased maternity tops, maternity ruffle dresses and other pregnancy-related clothing on her taxpayer-funded card, all logged as office supplies, according to WTNH.
The Brooches
Investigators also found that Stewart had charged what the report called “an inordinate amount of jewelry, particularly bee-themed brooches,” to taxpayers, according to the report. Among the jewelry purchases were a bee and honeycomb necklace and several bee-shaped brooch pins, the report said.
The clothing and jewelry charges were part of more than $207,000 Stewart ran up on her taxpayer-funded card over nine years, nearly 60% of it with no supporting documentation, according to the report. The report said investigators did not attempt a full accounting of the clothing and jewelry charges and called for one to be done.
By Kevin Coughlin
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