Joshua S. Levy, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts
Two men have been indicted in Boston for allegedly submitting fraudulent information to obtain loans through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. Dominik Manigo, 25, from Weymouth, and Nelson Roche Diaz, 28, from Brockton, face charges of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud. They appeared in federal court on Monday.
According to the charging documents, both individuals are accused of submitting false claims for PUA on the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance portal around May 2020. They also allegedly submitted fraudulent letters claiming their employment at a Boston restaurant was impacted by the pandemic. Each reportedly received over $43,000 in PUA and related funds.
The potential penalties for wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy include up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the indictment alongside Jonathan Mellone from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General; Michael J. Krol from Homeland Security Investigations; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Thomas Demeo from IRS Criminal Investigation in Boston. The Weymouth Police Department provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman is prosecuting this case as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation aimed at disrupting high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States.
This case aligns with efforts under the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force established on May 17, 2021, by the Attorney General to combat pandemic-related fraud using resources across government agencies.
The public can report suspected COVID-19 fraud via the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline or its website.
It is important to note that these charges are allegations at this stage, and both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
