Former Quincy Elder Services Director Pleads Guilty To Multi-Year Embezzlement Scheme Involving Personal Luxury Purchases

Thomas Clasby Jr. pleaded guilty to using Quincy city funds for personal items including steak tips, a snowblower, and studio recordings.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 10, 2026, 11:24 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Boston.com

Longtime City Official Admits To Federal Fraud Charges

A two decade career in public service ended in a federal courtroom Monday as Thomas Clasby Jr. admitted to orchestrating a sophisticated embezzlement operation. Clasby, who led Quincy’s Department of Elder Services from 1999 until his termination in 2024, pleaded guilty to embezzlement, mail and wire fraud, and interstate transportation of stolen property. Federal prosecutors detailed a pattern of abuse that began in 2019, where Clasby systematically bypassed municipal purchasing controls to fund a lavish lifestyle at the expense of local taxpayers.

Bizarre Purchases Funded By Municipal Accounts

The indictment against Clasby revealed a list of personal expenses that he disguised as legitimate city business. According to U.S. Attorney Leah Foley’s office, Clasby authorized nearly 6,000 dollars in city payments to a music studio to record songs he performed for his wife, labeling the invoices as a “Senior Musical Workshop.” Other fraudulent expenditures included 1,650 dollars for a framed self-portrait, 2,200 dollars for 153 pounds of bourbon steak tips, and a 4,800 dollar Toyota Prius which he gifted to a friend while claiming the funds were for "rebuilding an engine" for a city food van.

Cash Skimming And Fake Consulting Invoices

Beyond fraudulent purchases, Clasby was accused of a more direct form of theft involving cash receipts from the Kennedy Center. Employees were allegedly instructed to place cash from program fees and the center’s cafe into a safe, from which Clasby would later remove the funds for his own use. Prosecutors estimate that over 57,000 dollars in cash was taken between 2021 and 2024. Additionally, Clasby arranged for the city to pay 38,000 dollars in fake consulting fees to a friend's company, later meeting the friend at rest stops and ferry terminals to collect the laundered cash.