A Weymouth man has officially entered a guilty plea in federal court for his involvement in defrauding the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program. The Department of Justice reports that Dominik Manigo, age 26, confessed to charges of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud in a Boston courtroom. Manigo's indictment, from January 2025, included his co-conspirator Nelson Roche Diaz, who still awaits trial and maintains the presumption of innocence.
In a scheme that began to unfurl in May 2020, Manigo and allegedly Roche Diaz sought to exploit the PUA system designed to aid those left jobless due to COVID-19. They are accused of filing false claims and submitting equally fabricated letters explaining how the pandemic affected their non-existent jobs at a Boston restaurant. Their successful scheme briefly led them to inappropriately acquire over $43,000 in government funds, according to details provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit such an offense, can lead to severely heavy penalties, including up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fines reaching $250,000. These stern potential consequences reflect the seriousness with which the court views Manigo's confirmed actions. The actual sentence, though, will be determined by federal guidelines and the presiding judge's discretion.
The Department of Justice has been diligently working to uproot and combat pandemic-related fraud since early in the crisis. The creation of the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force in May 2021 was a direct initiative to bolster these efforts. This body's purpose is to synergize government agencies' actions to detect, prevent, and prosecute fraudulent conduct linked to the pandemic. It serves also to augment resources and share insights into fraudulent methods—an ongoing battle against those seeking to unethically profit from widespread suffering and aid programs.
Announcement of Manigo's guilty plea was made by a string of officials, including United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and agents from various investigative offices like the Department of Labor and Homeland Security Investigations. Their cooperation underscores the interdisciplinary approach taken against such crimes. Citizens are encouraged to assist in these endeavors by reporting any suspicions of COVID-19-related fraud to the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline, as detailed on the Department of Justice's website.
