Cedric Cromwell Convicted on Bribery and Extotion Charges

Former Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Chairman Cedric Cromwell has been convicted on federal charges of bribery and extortion.

Prosecutors said Cromwell solicited improper gifts from the head of a Rhode Island architectural firm, RGB Architects, to protect a billion-dollar contract for a tribal casino in Taunton until development halted in 2017.

The Boston Globe reports a federal jury on Thursday also convicted David DeQuattro, now the owner of RGB, of bribery. The gifts included a ten-thousand dollar payment, gym equipment, and a stay at an upscale hotel in Boston.

“No one is above the law. That rings true today, loudly and clearly,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Mr. Cromwell and Mr. DeQuattro entered into a business arrangement that was fueled by bribery for their own selfish and unlawful gain. In doing so, Mr. Cromwell exploited his position and the trust placed in him by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. The guilty verdict makes clear that the jury saw this case for what it is – a textbook example of public corruption."

Cromwell, 55, of Attleboro, was convicted following a 10-day jury trial of two counts of accepting bribes as an agent of an Indian tribal government, three counts of extortion under color of official right and one count of conspiring to commit extortion. He also faces four remaining charges of filing a false tax return, which will be addressed at a later date.

DeQuattro, 54, of Warwick, R.I., was convicted of one count of paying a bribe to an agent of an Indian tribal government.

U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduling sentencing for Sept. 9, 2022.

Information from the U.S. Attorney's Office was included in this report.