The former mayor of a Connecticut suburb used her city-issued credit card to buy clothes, shoes, cosmetics and other apparent personal items, newly unearthed receipts showed.
Erin Stewart seemingly spent a total of $207,076 city funds on personal expenses while serving as the mayor of New Britain, near Hartford, from 2016 to 2025, according to financial records obtained by WFSB.
The Republican, who has launched a gubernatorial campaign, allegedly used her city credit card to buy Halloween costumes, children's vitamins, maternity clothing and make-up from Amazon.
She also frequently used the card at Costco and spent about $19,000 at the wholesale club, the records showed.
Stewart is accused of charging an $18,000 membership to the private Hartford Club to the card, as well as lavish $500 dinners on her birthday.
In the lead up to her wedding, she allegedly used the card to make purchases at a retailer that prints invitations.
She also reportedly used the card to purchase an $80 gourmet birthday gift basket for Jonathan Perugini, whose LinkedIn indicates that at the time he was serving as the financial director for the city of New Britain.
According to city policy, those with city-issued credit cards are barred from using them to buy 'personal items.'
Connecticut gubernatorial hopeful Erin Stewart spent $207,076 of city funds on personal expenses while serving as the mayor of New Britain, financial records appeared to show. Stewart, pictured on April 28, denies the allegations against her
Then-Mayor Erin Stewart announces her run for Connecticut governor at the New Britain City Hall in January 2025
An investigation into spending by Stewart's administration was launched after city employees made complaints to current New Britain Mayor Bobby Sanchez earlier this year, the Hartford Courant reported.
The investigation revealed that she allegedly charged $47,000 worth of Amazon purchases to her city card.
More than $7,000 was spent on Instacart and about $71,000 at other vendors, not including the Costco and Amazon purchases.
Officials allege that more than half of the purchases were not accompanied by receipts, according to the newspaper.
Records also show that only $7,500 worth of purchased merchandise was shipped to the mayor's office, while about $22,600 worth of items were delivered to her home.
Sanchez has denied the accusations against her, telling the newspaper that all of her purchases were for the city's benefit.
'Don't forget, I was for 12 years,' she told the Courant. 'We had countless amounts of weekly events that happened, volunteers to feed, organizations that wanted support. All of these were activities that directly benefited our community.'
She alleged the purchases were used to support raffles, community programming and to celebrate city employees.
Expense reports obtained by WFSBV showed that Stewart allegedly charged $47,000 worth of Amazon purchases to her city card. More than $7,000 was spent on Instacart, around $19,000 at Costco and about $71,000 at other vendors
Stewart is accused of charging an $18,000 membership to the private Hartford Club to the card
Stewart also claimed the mayor's office budgets for these miscellaneous expenses.
'We were known for youth programing and activities. When we did events there were always decorations around and it was always a very welcoming environment. And I was always known for letting the community know that I cared, and I'm proud of that too,' she added.
She added that her purchases were not scrutinized during her 12-year stint as mayor and have only become an issue after 'I decided to step away and run for higher office.'
Despite her rebuttal, New Britain residents are seemingly outraged by the purchase receipts, which they allege suggest that Stewart was misusing taxpayer funds.
'No public servant really has the right to use money for their own personal use other than the needs of the tax payers,' resident Gloria Williams told WFSB.
Mayor Sanchez, a Democrat, also called her spending an 'appalling abuse of taxpayer dollars' and a 'blatant misuse of public resources for personal and political benefit'.
He argued that his hardworking constituents do not deserve to have 'their money treated like a personal checking account.'
Ryan Fazio, who is running against Stewart in the Republican primary for Connecticut governor, said she should be disqualified for the race.
Bobby Sanchez, accompanied by Erin Stewart, is sworn in as the new mayor of New Britain on November 12, 2025 at New Britain High School
'Erin Stewart's conduct is disqualifying,' Fazio wrote in a statement. 'Using taxpayer funds to pay for tens of thousands of dollars in personal expenses – including her husband's birthday gifts, her own birthday dinner, a personal membership at a Hartford social club and more – is a serious crime and a profound abuse of the public's trust.'
'If she were the nominee, Democrats would spend millions making sure every voter in Connecticut knows it, and Republicans would suffer devastating losses up and down the ballot.'
The investigation into Stewart's spending is being led by Hartford-based Crumbie Law Group.
An initial report published by the firm last month resulted in an inquiry being launched by the chief state's attorney's office and State Police.
The report accused the Stewart administration of backdating city tax bills to allow delinquent taxpayers to avoid high interest charges.
The Daily Mail has approached Stewart's campaign for comment.