William Cordor, 26, of Leicester, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester to a scheme that bled pandemic relief programs dry. Cordor admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud, and four counts of aggravated identity theft—crimes built on stolen Social Security numbers and the desperation of a national crisis.
Between May and October 2020, as hospitals overflowed and unemployment lines snaked for blocks, Cordor saw opportunity. He filed multiple fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims with the State of Nevada, using the names and personal data of people who had no idea their identities were being weaponized. The claims were rejected when Nevada flagged them as fake—but not before Cordor tried to cash in on the chaos.
That wasn’t enough. Cordor doubled down, turning to the Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. Using stolen identities, he secured a loan under false pretenses, then funneled the cash into a vacation spree in Florida: plane tickets, hotels, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment. Relief meant for struggling businesses became his personal slush fund.
Even before the Nevada scam, Cordor was already in the feds’ crosshairs. In May 2020, he surrendered $79,000 from a Massachusetts unemployment fraud scheme—money seized from his bank account before he launched the next round of fraud. The cash was traced, the trail was clear, and the evidence left no room for denial.
Now, Cordor faces the consequences. Each wire fraud and conspiracy count carries up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The four counts of aggravated identity theft mean two mandatory years per count—stacked consecutively. A federal judge will decide his final sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the full weight of his crimes.
The case was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell, Department of Labor OIG Special Agent Jonathan Mellone, and U.S. Secret Service Boston’s Frederick J. Regan. Local cops from Leicester and Marlboro pitched in. Prosecutors John T. Mulcahy and Danial Bennett are handling the case. The DOJ’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, launched May 17, 2021, continues hunting pandemic profiteers. Tips can be sent to the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721.
RELATED: Leicester Man Cops to Pandemic Fraud, Steals $79K
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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