BOSTON, MA – Tedje Menard, 28, formerly of Everett, Massachusetts, is facing serious time after admitting to a brazen scheme of identity theft and fraud, preying on both individuals and pandemic relief programs. Menard pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to two counts of wire fraud, one count of false representation of a social security number, and a charge of aggravated identity theft.
The fraud unfolded in multiple layers, beginning in November 2020 when Menard attempted to rent an East Boston apartment using the stolen identity of another person. He submitted a fake application complete with the victim’s name, social security number, date of birth, and a doctored North Carolina driver’s license featuring a photograph of himself. The scheme didn’t stop there. In June 2021, Menard filed a $40,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application also under the victim’s name, further exploiting their personal information.
Adding insult to injury, Menard wasn’t shy about enriching himself directly. In April 2021, he applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan of approximately $20,833, using his own name but lying about his business’s income and conveniently omitting his criminal history. The COVID-19 relief programs, designed to help struggling businesses and individuals, were once again targeted by a predator seeking illicit gain.
Federal authorities, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI’s Boston Division, caught up with Menard in November 2021. A federal grand jury indicted him on January 27, 2022, setting the stage for yesterday’s guilty plea. The Department of Labor and the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office provided valuable assistance in the investigation, highlighting the collaborative effort to combat pandemic fraud.
Judge Allison D. Burroughs has scheduled sentencing for November 30, 2022. Menard is looking at a potentially lengthy prison sentence. The wire fraud charges carry a maximum of 20 years, along with up to three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The false social security number charge carries a five-year maximum, plus supervised release and a fine. Crucially, the aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two-year sentence to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed, plus one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta emphasized that this case is part of a larger, national effort to crack down on pandemic-related fraud. The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, established by the Attorney General, is working to bring to justice those who exploited the crisis for personal profit. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Related Federal Cases
- John Doe, PPP Fraud and Check Theft, Massachusetts 2023 · Pennsylvania
- Jonathan Benavide Hidalgo Bank Fraud and Theft of Mail, Jacksonville FL, 2024 · Texas
- Timothy Torigian, Overtime Fraud, MA 2024 · Texas
- Tanner Uffelman, Pandemic Unemployment Fraud, Pennsylvania 2023 · Pennsylvania
- Brockton USPS Employee Sentenced for $90K Fraud · North Carolina
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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