By now you’ve probably heard the LATEST Covid scam out of Massachusetts.
State Rep. Francisco Paulino was arrested by federal agents on pandemic benefit fraud charges Wednesday morning, less than two weeks after another Massachusetts politician – Lawrence Mayor Brian DePena – was arrested by the feds on pandemic loan fraud charges.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Paulino, a Democrat representing the 16th Essex District, was taken into federal custody this morning by FBI agents and will be arraigned in Boston federal court.
This comes less than two weeks after DePena was arrested on charges of $1.5 million of pandemic loan fraud and money laundering, allegedly using the stolen funds to pad his campaign account while also paying off nearly $900,000 worth of personal taxes, mortgages on various properties, and high-interest debt.
This comes just days after the Mayor of Lawrence was charged with allegedly obtaining over $1.5 million in COVID small-business loans.
The Mayor of Lawrence has been indicted by a federal grand jury for pandemic loan fraud and money laundering.
According to the 11-count indictment, Mayor Brian DePeña, 61, was charged with allegedly obtaining over $1.5 million in COVID small-business loans.
DePeña is accused of using the money to fund his campaign account, pay personal taxes, and pay more than $880,000 in high-interest hard-money mortgages on properties in Lawrence.
Is this just the tip of the iceberg?
