Former Veterans Affairs Employee Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining Multiple Covid-19 Benefits

Summary

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts announced that Denise Baez, 51, of Brockton, who was employed as a Medical Technician with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, pleaded guilty on July 16, 2026 to two counts of wire fraud. Baez submitted two Paycheck Protection Program loan applications that falsely claimed gross income from a sole proprietorship, attached fraudulent tax documents, and received $41,666, which she used on personal expenses. In September 2021 she submitted forgiveness applications falsely claiming the entire $41,666 was spent on payroll, and the loans were forgiven. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Oct 27, 2026; the charge provides for up to 20 years in prison.

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Full text

BOSTON – A Brockton woman, who was employed as a Medical Technician with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs pleaded guilty on July 16, 2026 in federal court in Boston to wire fraud. Denise Baez, 51, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Oct 27, 2026. Baez was charged in April 2026 . Baez submitted two applications seeking Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans. In those applications, Baez made false claims regarding gross income purportedly earned from a sole proprietorship. To support these false claims, Baez attached fraudulent tax documents as part of the applications. The PPP loan applications were approved and Baez received $41,666. Baez used that money on personal expenses. However, in September 2021, Baez submitted loan forgiveness applications that falsely claimed the entire $41,666 was spent on payroll. Based on the misrepresentation the loans were forgiven. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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 Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.

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