Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Brockton resident has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nelson Roche Diaz, 29, admitted to one count of wire fraud conspiracy and one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun, who set sentencing for January 13, 2026.
Roche Diaz was indicted in January 2025 alongside co-conspirator Dominik Manigo. According to court documents, both men submitted false information on the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance portal in May 2020. They also provided fraudulent letters claiming that their employment at a Boston restaurant had been affected by the pandemic, despite neither having worked there. Each received over $43,000 from the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program and related funds.
Dominik Manigo pleaded guilty in July 2025 and is scheduled for sentencing on November 18, 2025.
The charges carry potential penalties of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and fines up to $250,000. Sentencing will be determined by a federal judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation Boston Field Office. The Weymouth Police Department provided additional assistance with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation aimed at identifying and dismantling major criminal organizations through a coordinated multi-agency approach. More details about OCDETF are available at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
In response to increasing pandemic-related fraud cases nationwide, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force on May 17, 2021. This initiative coordinates resources across government agencies to enhance investigation and prosecution efforts against domestic and international actors involved in relief fund fraud schemes. Further information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Reports regarding attempted COVID-19 fraud can be submitted via the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud online complaint form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
