Edward D. DiPrete

Edward Daniel DiPrete (July 8, 1934 – July 8, 2025) was an American politician. He served as the 70th governor of Rhode Island for three two-year terms, serving from 1985 to 1991. Convicted of numerous corruption charges, he was the only Rhode Island governor to have gone to prison.

Early life DiPrete was born in Cranston, Rhode Island, on July 8, 1934, the son of Maria Grossi and Frank A. DiPrete. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross, and received honorary degrees from Holy Cross, Providence College, Bryant College, and the University of Rhode Island. He also served in the United States Navy. From 1970 to 1974, he served on the Cranston School Committee. From 1974 to 1978, he served as an at-large member of the Cranston City Council. He served as mayor of the city from 1978 to 1985.

Governor of Rhode Island DiPrete was elected in the 1984 gubernatorial election and served as the 70th governor of Rhode Island from 1985 to 1991, and was defeated for reelection in a landslide by former U.S. government attorney and millionaire businessman Bruce Sundlun in the 1990 election, who had previously lost twice (1986 and 1988) to DiPrete.

In 1994, DiPrete was indicted on criminal charges relating to the awarding of state contracts during his service as governor. All charges were dismissed in March 1997 by a Rhode Island Superior Court Judge who also found the State Attorney General's office guilty of 10 findings of "egregious prosecutorial misconduct."

He was subsequently charged again, and in December 1998, he pleaded guilty to state charges of bribery, extortion, and racketeering, and was sentenced to a year in prison.

In a plea bargain, he also admitted accepting $250,000 in exchange for state contracts during his term as governor. DiPrete agreed to this plea bargain only after receiving assurance that pending charges against one of his sons would be dismissed. Those charges against his son were dismissed in their entirety prior to DiPrete agreeing to the plea bargain. In addition, his state retirement pension was revoked, despite attempts to have it reinstated. DiPrete served eleven months in Adult Correctional Institutions.

Electoral history