Daniel Cleggett, 38, of Kingston, pleaded guilty to his involvement in four distinct fraud schemes targeting sober homes, the Mass Save energy program, mortgage lenders, and COVID-19-related federal loans, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced today.
Cleggett, who founded A Vision From God LLC (AVFG), a business operating sober homes across Boston, Wakefield, Quincy, and Weymouth, was arrested in March 2023 alongside co-conspirator Nicholas Espinosa. Espinosa pleaded guilty on October 3, 2024, and is scheduled for sentencing on March 11, 2025.
According to the Department of Justice, Cleggett and Espinosa defrauded a New York family trust by overcharging them as much as $12,500 per month for room and board at a Quincy sober home. The pair attempted to conceal their scheme by issuing fraudulent refund checks.
The duo also provided false information to mortgage lenders, falsely claiming that properties purchased for use as sober homes were primary residences.
In addition to his work with sober homes, Cleggett ran insulation companies, including Green Save Energy Corporation and Environmental Construction Objective Inc., both of which participated in the Mass Save energy program. From 2018 to 2021, the companies fraudulently billed for permits that had not been obtained, resulting in their termination from the program. Despite being banned, Cleggett and his associates formed new companies under straw owners and secured $954,443 in payments.
Moreover, Cleggett falsified Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications, obtaining $794,900 in federal loans. The U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed that Cleggett misused these funds for personal expenses, including luxury vacations, $37,997 in wedding expenses, and spa treatments.
Wire fraud charges carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, while making false statements to a mortgage lender could lead to up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.