BOSTON – In a stunning turn of events, 26-year-old Dominik Manigo from Weymouth has pleaded guilty in federal court for his role in a massive COVID-19 unemployment fraud scheme.
The defendant, along with co-conspirator Nelson Roche Diaz, submitted fraudulent claims for over $43,000 through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. Manigo falsely claimed that he and Roche had been employed at a Boston restaurant during the pandemic—a lie they perpetuated to secure PUA benefits.
Manigo was indicted in January 2025 alongside Roche Diaz for one count of wire fraud conspiracy and one count of wire fraud. Each charge carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine reaching $250,000.
The investigation into this fraudulent scheme was a collaborative effort involving the United States Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Department of Labor, Homeland Security Investigations, Massachusetts State Police, Boston Police, and the Internal Revenue Service. The Weymouth Police Department also played a crucial role in assisting with the case.
This case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which leverages a multi-agency approach to dismantle high-level criminal organizations. It also aligns with the Attorney General’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force initiative, aimed at combating pandemic-related fraud.
Manigo and Roche Diaz are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The Department of Justice encourages anyone with information about similar fraudulent activities to report them via the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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