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Two Men Indicted for Submitting Fraudulent Claims for Pandemic Unemployment Aid
BOSTON, Massachusetts – Two men have been arrested for allegedly submitting fake claims for pandemic unemployment benefits, raking in over $43,000 in fraudulent funds.
Dominik Manigo, 25, of Weymouth, and Nelson Roche Diaz, 28, of Brockton, were indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of wire fraud conspiracy, and on one count each of wire fraud.
According to the charging documents, in or about May 2020, Manigo and Roche allegedly submitted fraudulent claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) on the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance portal.
The duo allegedly submitted fake letters claiming the pandemic had impacted their employment at a restaurant in Boston, with each man receiving over $43,000 in PUA and related funds.
The charges of wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Manigo and Roche appeared in federal court in Boston on Monday, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman prosecuting the case.
The arrest is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach to dismantle high-level criminal organizations.
The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, established by the Attorney General on May 17, 2021, assists agencies in preventing and combating pandemic-related fraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations, and Manigo and Roche are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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