Gov. Healey calls $31,000 buyout to alleged cocaine trafficker 'unacceptable'

Tim Dunn, Boston Herald on Jan 8, 2026

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BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey is admitting an “error” made by paying fired aide LaMar Cook over $31,000 in a contract buyout after he was fired for his arrest on cocaine trafficking and gun charges is “unacceptable.”

The governor refused to answer reporter questions on if whoever was responsible for the buyout blunder faced any disciplinary action, instead just confirming that action has been taken.

“Look, I’m really upset about that. That was a mistake, it’s unacceptable, and every effort is being done to make sure that doesn’t happen again,” she said at a live event Thursday.

“What’s important is that we have in place the right guardrails, the right measures to make sure this doesn’t happen again. I can tell you this was a mistake. It goes back to absolutely unacceptable conduct by an individual who was employed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and what was done there, as I’ve said before, was a huge betrayal of public trust,” she said when pressed again by reporters.

When asked by the Herald how an error like this could possibly happen at her level, Healey drew back on her time as Attorney General.

“As a former attorney general and somebody who prosecuted bad guys and people who stole money and prosecuted people who engaged in fraud, waste and abuse, nobody takes it more seriously than me and that’s why it’s unacceptable. I am very upset about it. We’ve taken action, it’ll never happen again and we go forward from here,” Healey said.

Healey’s words come less than a day after the Attorney General’s office filed a legal complaint in Suffolk Superior Court in an attempt to reclaim the $31,438.56 paid to him in an “error.” The Commonwealth argues in the complaint that Cook is not entitled to the money due to being terminated for cause.

The complaint goes on to state that immediately after the erroneous payment was recognized, the governor’s office attempted to reverse the direct deposits, but could not do so due to Cook having insufficient funds in his accounts.

“Upon realizing the error in paying Mr. Cook for accrued vacation leave time, the Commonwealth attempted to reverse the direct deposits, but it could not do so due to insufficient funds available in the accounts,” the Commonwealth wrote in its complaint. “The Commonwealth has demanded that Mr. Cook pay back the money that he received in error, but despite demand, he has failed and refused to pay back the money.”

This all comes after the Herald reported that Cook had nearly $10,000 in credit card debt right before his October arrest. He had been taken to court three times between 2014 and 2025, twice by Capital One and once by Portfolio Recovery Associates, with judgments over $9,500, according to court documents.

Cook was arrested in late October after State Police intercepted 21 kilograms of cocaine being shipped to the Springfield State Office where he worked. Troopers also seized an unregistered gun and ammunition from Cook, who is charged with trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine, as well as unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The governor says Cook was fired immediately after his arrest, calling it “a major breach of public trust” and “unacceptable.”

Hampden County Superior Court Judge Sarah Hamilton denied Cook’s bail review Thursday, where Assistant District Attorney Kerry Beattie argued there was no precedent for an additional review.

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