Democrat state lawmaker ARRESTED for allegedly STEALING federal pandemic funds

Another Massachusetts Democrat has been arrested for alleged pandemic fraud after the 61-year-old mayor of Lawrence was arrested earlier this month.

Massachusetts state Rep. Francisco Paulino, a Democrat, is accused of using information gathered from his tax prep business in Lawrence to fraudulently apply for pandemic funds.

'The money these two allegedly scammed was meant for hard-working Americans and struggling business owners, not for two greedy individuals who lied and stole for their own personal benefit.'

The 46-year-old was arrested Wednesday and charged with eight counts of wire fraud and three counts of unlawful monetary transactions.

Paulino allegedly received more than $700,000 in unemployment insurance benefits and small-business loans from the pandemic.

He used those loans to buy property and make loans to clients at his tax preparation business before he was elected to the state legislature in 2023, prosecutors claim.

If convicted, the Democrat faces 20 years in prison for each of the eight wire fraud charges and 10 years in prison for each of the three money laundering charges.

Paulino represents the 16th Essex District, which includes the city of Lawrence, whose mayor was arrested.

Federal prosecutors said Mayor Brian DePeña stole more than $1.5 million in pandemic money and used the ill-gotten cash to "fund his campaign account, pay personal taxes, and pay more than $880,000 in high-interest, hard-money mortgages on properties he owned in Lawrence."

U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley excoriated both Democrats at a news briefing.

"The conduct alleged by the Lawrence mayor and the district state representative is appalling. Everyone listening today knows how difficult it was for Americans during the pandemic and how challenging it was for businesses," said Foley.

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Foley told reporters that the two cases are not related and that the investigations began three years ago, according to NBC10 Boston, which would mean they started when President Joe Biden was still in office.

"The money these two individuals allegedly scammed was meant for hard-working Americans and struggling business owners, not for two greedy individuals who lied and stole for their own personal benefit," she added.

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