⏱ 2 min read
A Brockton VA Medical Technician, Denise Baez, 51, allegedly swindled $41,666 in COVID relief cash by submitting fake loan applications.
The scheme unfolded when Baez applied for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in September 2021, claiming she earned $150,000 as a sole proprietor. In reality, she’d just landed a full-time job at the VA in August.
To make the scam stick, Baez attached fake tax documents with the applications, which were approved. She used the cash for personal expenses, then lied about the money being spent on payroll to get the loans forgiven.
Now, Baez faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for each of the two wire fraud counts.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Massachusetts
- Location: MA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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