The very last page of the Global Partners ethics complaint against an MBTA staffer in the rest stop lease dispute is an anonymously authored, Russell Crowe-beautiful mind-inspired conspiracy theory chart that implies an unproven web of revolving door influence, personal relationships, corruption and big money related to Applegreen, MassDOT, Suffolk Construction, the lobbying firm Smith, Costello & Crawford and various current and former government officials.

Much of the alleged connections implied by the chart are completely unsubstantiated but newsworthy based upon its inclusion in an official state ethics complaint connected to the disputed 35 year lease for the state’s service plazas.

Global, which lost the rest stop bid and is now suing the Commonwealth, says they received the diagram by FedEx on July 22 from a self-described disgruntled former MassDOT employee.

The chart suggests that Claire Cronin, then Ambassador to Ireland, introduced Applegreen MA Travel Plazas LLC to the influential Boston lobbying firm of Smith, Costello & Crawford during her tenure on the Emerald Isle. Applegreen is based in Ireland.

Suffolk Construction (prominently featured in the conspiracy chart) is Applegreen’s local partner to invest $750M to “redevelop 9 locations and refurbish 9 others into welcoming, modern, sustainable destinations.”

John Fish, president and CEO of Suffolk Construction, is a generous political donor to both Republican and Democrat candidates as well as independent expenditure committees, according to OCPF.

Applegreen became an official client of Smith, Costello & Crawford on July 18, 2024 while Cronin was still ambassador, according to the Secretary of State’s Lobbyist Public Search.

Meanwhile, Cronin recently joined Smith, Costello & Crawford (also prominently mentioned in the chart) as a “business consultant” as reported by the MassterList last week.

Applegreen inked a deal to rehab twenty-one New Jersey service plazas while Cronin, who is also a former Massachusetts state representative, was ambassador.

Applegreen, the winning lease bidder, is not a party to Global’s lawsuit or ethics complaint.

Global Partners appended the chart and an accompanying letter under the heading “Other Alleged Improprieties” in their ethics complaint against MBTA employee Scott Bosworth stating they have “no way of confirming the veracity of the allegations made about the agencies, entities or individuals identified” but “believes it is prudent to share these materials with the State Ethics Commission given the nature and scope of the potential issues identified by the anonymous drafter.”

Global also forwarded the letter and chart to the Governor and Attorney General according to the ethics commission complaint.