Corrupted Ex-Tribal Leader, Accused of Accepting $177,000 in Bribes for Casino Duties, Admits Guilt in Tax-Related Charges
In July 2025, Cedric Cromwell, the former chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Nation, pleaded guilty to filing false tax returns related to the First Light Resort and Casino project in Taunton, Massachusetts. The sentencing for these charges is scheduled for November 5, 2025 [1][2][5].
Cromwell's guilty plea came after he was found guilty of extortion and bribery in the original trial in 2022, which resulted in a three-year prison sentence. However, his extortion convictions were initially dismissed, only to be reinstated by the U.S. Court of Appeals in 2024 [1]. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal, enabling final resolution in November 2025 [1].
Prosecutors allege that Cromwell used a corporate entity as a shell company to accept bribes from firms wanting to work on the planned First Light Resort and Casino. An architecture company paid him $57,549, another architect $45,023, and a firm or firms creating and supplying forest carbon offsets paid him $74,281 in bribes [1]. These bribes were not reported as income in Cromwell's tax returns, and he did not report over $177,000 in income during the period from 2014 to 2017 [1][2].
Cromwell initially claimed that the funds in question were campaign contributions or gifts, not bribes. However, this claim was disputed in the trial [1]. Prosecutors and the defense have agreed to recommend a sentence of 42 months in prison for Cromwell, along with restitution payments totaling around $270,000 — approximately $61,000 to the IRS and about $210,000 to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe [1][2]. Additionally, he faces one year of supervised release and an $800 mandatory special assessment.
The sentencing for the tax return charges is separate from the prison sentence for the extortion and bribery conviction. Cromwell's actions are considered a violation of tax laws, and failing to report income can carry up to three years in prison for each charge [1].
As of August 2025, Cedric Cromwell awaits sentencing scheduled for November 5, 2025, facing recommended prison time of 42 months and financial restitution for tax fraud and extortion tied to the stalled Mashpee Wampanoag casino project in Taunton, Massachusetts [1][2][5].
References: [1] Associated Press. (2025, August 1). Ex-Mashpee Wampanoag chairman faces sentencing in tax fraud case. The Boston Globe. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/08/01/metro/ex-mashpee-wampanoag-chairman-faces-sentencing-tax-fraud-case/
[2] Associated Press. (2025, July 29). Ex-Mashpee Wampanoag chairman pleads guilty to tax fraud. The Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/business-ma-courts-casinos-and-gaming-cedric-cromwell-951c939655c361f70829161c6d1061e0
[5] Associated Press. (2025, August 3). Ex-Mashpee Wampanoag chairman to be sentenced for tax fraud. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/massachusetts/ex-mashpee-wampanoag-chairman-to-be-sentenced-for-tax-fraud/2025/08/03/9e34175a-2d35-11ed-a5d5-717f4d63265f_story.html
- The sentencing for Cedric Cromwell's tax fraud charges, related to the First Light Resort and Casino project, is scheduled for November 5, 2025, and will be a part of the general news, as it involves a violation of tax laws.
- Apart from the 2022 extortion and bribery conviction, for which Cedric Cromwell is currently serving a prison sentence, he is also facing increased scrutiny in politics and crime-and-justice circles due to the allegations of using bribes to facilitate the stalled Mashpee Wampanoag casino project.
