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Police & Fire
Former Everett Man Admits To Lying To Get Thousands In COVID-19 Relief Money: Feds Former Everett Man Admits To Lying To Get Thousands In COVID-19 Relief Money: Feds
Former Everett Man Admits To Lying To Get Thousands In Covid-19 Relief Money: Feds A 28-year-old former Everett man pleaded guilty this week to identity theft and wire fraud charges as part of multiple schemes to illegally get federal pandemic-relief money, the Department of Justice said.  Tedje Menard admitted in court to lying on an application for the Paycheck Protection Plan by inflating his business's income and hiding his criminal history to get a $20,833 loan, the US Attorney's Office said.  He also admitted to stealing another person's identity to rent an apartment in East Boston, the prosecutor said. Menard also applied for a $40,000 Economic Injury Dis…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Former Revere Man Stole $2.5 Million In Covid-19 Relief Money: Feds Former Revere Man Stole $2.5 Million In Covid-19 Relief Money: Feds
Former Revere Man Stole $2.5 Million In Covid-19 Relief Money: Feds A 34-year-old former Revere man stole $2.5 million in federal Covid-19 relief funds, the U.S. Attorney's Office said on Tuesday, Aug. 23.  Vinicius Santana, 34, of Boca Raton, Florida, was charged with wire fraud and unlawful money transactions, the federal prosecutor's office said.  Officials said Santana owned the Massachusetts-based painting company Complete Home Care, LLC and applied for Paycheck Protection Program loans four times. Federal pursers denied the first three applications where he claimed to have five employees and between $10,000 and $18,000 in month payroll …

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
No Jail Time For Ex-TSA Union Leader From Lynn Who Stole Dues For Personal Use: Feds No Jail Time For Ex-TSA Union Leader From Lynn Who Stole Dues For Personal Use: Feds
No Jail Time For Ex-tsa Union Leader From Lynn Who Stole Dues For Personal Use: Feds Authorities announced this week that the former local union leader for the men and women who handle airport security would not face prison time for using the group's money for personal expenses.  Marie LeClair, 59, of Lynn, was sentenced to three years probation and six months of home arrest, and she must repay the nearly $30,000 she took from the union, the U.S. Attorney's Office said this week. LeClair pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in June.  LeClair was president of the Boston-based American Federation of Government Employees, Local 2617. But beginning in M…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Boston Food Truck Owner Charged With Stealing $1.5M In COVID Funds: Feds Boston Food Truck Owner Charged With Stealing $1.5M In COVID Funds: Feds
Boston Food Truck Owner Charged With Stealing $1.5M In COVID Funds: Feds A 55-year-old Boston food truck owner faces up to 20 years in prison after he has was charged him with lying to get $1.5 million in COVID-19 relief funds, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday, July 20. Loc Vo, who owns Smart Gourmet, is accused of fraudulently filing loan applications from April 2020 until July 2021 for programs under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, the U.S. Attorney in Boston said. The programs were to help businesses stay afloat during the uncertainty of the COVID pandemic.  But federal authorities said Vo used the money to invest…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Ex-Owner Of Illicit Boston-Area Massage Parlor Sentenced For Fraud Ex-Owner Of Illicit Boston-Area Massage Parlor Sentenced For Fraud
Ex-Owner Of Illicit Boston-Area Massage Parlor Sentenced For Fraud A woman was sentenced to three years of probation for fraudulently obtaining tens of thousands of dollars in COVID-19 relief funds, the US Attorney's Office for Massachusetts reports.  Chynna Savath, age 57, of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, is the former owner of a massage parlor located in Franklin called Thai Body Work.  Savath apparently obtained $34,391 in fraudulent payments from filing fake applications under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act in June 2020, the office reports.  The applications also did not mention that Savath…

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by David Cifarelli
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Massachusetts Man Admits To Embezzling Over $360K From Non-Profit Massachusetts Man Admits To Embezzling Over $360K From Non-Profit
Massachusetts Man Admits To Embezzling Over $360K From Non-Profit A Northborough man is facing up to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to embezzling over $360,000 from a non-profit organization in Sturbridge, the US Attorney's Office for Massachusetts reports.  Kyriakos "Rick" Kapiris, age 36, worked at the non-profit as an IT manager from April 2015 to May 2020. During his time there, Kapiris had access to two of the company's credit cards to pay for equipment and certain services, the office reports. However, Kapiris created three vendor accounts to embezzle funds and fabricate sales invoices starting in 2016, the office reports. Kapiris the…

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by David Cifarelli
News
Former Greater Boston-Area Resident Nabbed For $2.5M COVID Relief Fraud, Feds Say Former Greater Boston-Area Resident Nabbed For $2.5M COVID Relief Fraud, Feds Say
Former Greater Boston-Area Resident Nabbed For $2.5M COVID Relief Fraud, Feds Say A former resident  from the Greater Boston area and owner of a local painting company is facing 20 years in prison for using a fake loan application to snag $2.5 million in COVID relief funds, the US Attorney's Office for Massachusetts said.  Vinicius Santana, age 34, formerly of Revere, who now lives in Boca Raton, Florida, allegedly submitted four Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications for his company, Complete Home Care (CHC), in April 2020, the office reports.  PPP funds were established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Safety (CARES) Act in Ma…

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by David Cifarelli