The operator of several sober homes in Massachusetts has admitted guilt in a federal court in Boston for his involvement in multiple fraud schemes. Daniel Cleggett, 38, from Kingston, was charged with crimes related to sober homes, the Mass Save Program, mortgage lenders, and COVID-19 business loans.
Cleggett pleaded guilty to numerous charges including wire fraud conspiracy and making false statements to a mortgage lending business. His sentencing is set for March 31, 2025. He was arrested alongside Nicholas Espinosa in March 2023.
Espinosa had previously pleaded guilty on October 3, 2024, and is scheduled for sentencing on March 11, 2025.
Cleggett founded A Vision From God LLC (AVFG) which operated sober homes under various names such as Brady’s Place and Lakeshore Retreat. Espinosa managed daily operations at these facilities.
Together with a client from one of the sober homes, Cleggett and Espinosa defrauded a New York-based family trust by overcharging for room and board through false invoices. They issued "refund" checks to the client as part of their scheme.
Between October 2019 and December 2021, Cleggett acquired properties intended as sober homes using fraudulent information about their intended use as primary residences.
Cleggett also ran insulation companies that were part of the Mass Save Program but engaged in fraudulent billing practices. Despite being banned from the program in June 2021 due to these activities, he continued operations under new company names using straw owners.
In April 2020, Cleggett applied for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) under false pretenses. He obtained $794,900 despite falsely denying illegal activity involvement and misusing funds for personal expenses like vacations and wedding costs.
The potential penalties include up to 20 years imprisonment for wire fraud charges and up to $1 million fines for making false statements to mortgage lenders. Sentences will be determined based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy along with other officials from IRS Criminal Investigations and FBI Boston Division. Local police departments provided assistance while Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy and Dustin Chao are handling prosecution efforts.