Boston Public Official Charged with Pandemic Fraud
Summary
Reuben Taylor, 40, of Boston, the Director of the City of Boston's Municipal Protective Services, has been charged with one count of wire fraud and has agreed to plead guilty, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced. According to the charging documents, Taylor applied in April 2021 for a $20,844 Paycheck Protection Program loan, allegedly claiming to have worked as an auto mechanic in 2019 and supporting the claim with a fabricated Form 1040 and Schedule C showing $99,863 in independent-contractor income. The 2019 Form 1040 that Taylor actually submitted to the IRS reported $97,561 in wages as a municipal police officer. After a forgiveness application in August 2021, the Small Business Administration forgave the loan in September 2021. The charge carries up to 20 years in prison; the release states that the details are allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent.
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Full text
BOSTON – The Director of the City of Boston’s Municipal Protective Services has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to allegedly obtaining federal pandemic funds through fraud. Reuben Taylor, 40, of Boston, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. According to the charging documents, Taylor has worked for the Municipal Protective Services – an unarmed, non-sworn security division within the City of Boston’s Property Management Department – since 2008. In April 2021 Taylor allegedly submitted an application for a $20,844 Paycheck Protection Program loan in which he falsely claimed that he had worked as an auto mechanic in 2019. It is alleged that Taylor supported his application with a fabricated Form 1040 and Schedule C, claiming that he received no wages in 2019 and instead received $99,863 as an independent contractor working as a mechanic. According to the charging documents, in the 2019 Form 1040 that Taylor actually submitted to the IRS, he reported earning $97,561 in wages as a municipal police officer and attached a Form W-2 from the City of Boston. It is further alleged that in August 2021 Taylor submitted an application seeking forgiveness of the loan, claiming that he had spent the loan proceeds on payroll for his alleged auto mechanic business. The Small Business Administration forgave Taylor’s loan in September 2021, essentially converting the loan to a taxpayer-funded grant. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers in the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case. On March 26, 2026 , United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621). On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division . The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
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