Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Brockton woman employed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs was charged in federal court in Boston on Apr. 23 with two counts of wire fraud for allegedly obtaining Covid-19 relief funds under false pretenses.
According to charging documents, Denise Baez, 51, submitted two Paycheck Protection Program loan applications claiming income from a sole proprietorship and provided fraudulent tax documents to support her claims. The loans were approved and Baez received $41,666, which she allegedly used for personal expenses. In September 2021, she is accused of submitting forgiveness applications falsely stating that all funds had been spent on payroll, resulting in the loans being forgiven.
The charge of wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss involved. Sentences are determined by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office announced the charges. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration; Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts handles prosecutions of federal crimes and civil litigation for the United States throughout Massachusetts and operates offices across Boston, Springfield, and Worcester to promote public safety and community engagement; it employs over 200 staff members as part of its longstanding role since 1789 as one of the nation's earliest such entities according to the official website.
