Brockton man admits he fraudulently took $1.5M in COVID relief funds

BROCKTON -- A Brockton man has admitted he cheated the government out of $1.5 million in COVID aid. The US Attorney's Office said 59-year-old Joao Mendes agreed to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud. 

Investigators said between June and September 2020, he submitted fraudulent loan applications and fake tax records to get government loans. 

They said he used the money to buy cryptocurrency or transfer the funds to other accounts.

He faces up to 20 years in prison.