Graphic Novel 7
Chapter 7 Watertown: Under Color of Law
Chapter 7: Reputation LaundromatThis chapter explores how Mafhoum used legal and domestic maneuvering to insulate his reputation, acting as a "Reputation Laundromat". He relocated to Manchester, New Hampshire, and strategically delayed divorcing his fourth wife until 2021—just as the POST Commission began publishing disciplinary files—before marrying the mother of his children. To distract from his documented misconduct, Mafhoum went on the offensive and filed a discrimination lawsuit against the Massachusetts State Police, claiming he was the victim of systemic racism and ageism. The narrative frames this lawsuit as a Machiavellian and narcissistic tactic to "muddy the waters" and weaponize litigation against the very agency that accommodated him during his training.
