Danbury mayor's ex-secretary charged with fraud

DANBURY, Conn. (AP) — The former secretary for Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton has been charged with illegally keeping her ex-husband on her city health insurance plan.

The News-Times of Danbury reports that 48-year-old Wendy DaCosta of Danbury was arrested by city police on Jan. 2 on charges of health insurance fraud and second-degree larceny. Police allege she kept her ex-husband on the city health insurance plan after they were divorced in November 2009 until she was fired in August 2011.

City officials say DaCosta was fired because of sexual harassment complaints against her by a city department head with whom she had a brief affair. DaCosta has pending federal civil rights lawsuit against Boughton over her firing.

A lawyer for DaCosta says he's reviewing the criminal charges and will be preparing a defense.

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Information from: The News-Times