Brockton, MA – In a stunning turn of events, Nelson Roche Diaz, 29, has pleaded guilty in federal court for his role in a brazen COVID unemployment fraud scheme. The defendant, along with co-conspirator Dominik Manigo, is accused of submitting fraudulent claims totaling over $43,000 through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program.
Diaz’s crime reached its pinnacle in May 2020 when he and Manigo claimed to have lost their jobs at a Boston restaurant due to the pandemic. However, an investigation revealed that neither had ever worked there. The duo was indicted in January 2025, with Diaz scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 13, 2026.
Manigo pleaded guilty in July 2025 and is due to be sentenced on Nov. 18, 2025. Both face up to 20 years in prison for the charges of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud, along with fines reaching $250,000. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
The investigation was a collaborative effort, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman is prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from the Weymouth Police Department.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which targets high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States. The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force was also established to combat pandemic-related fraud by enhancing coordination and information sharing among agencies.
For those with information about similar fraudulent activities, the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline is available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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