Massachusetts State Rep. Francisco Paulino charged with pandemic benefit fraud, money laundering

Massachusetts State Rep. Francisco Paulino has been arrested and charged with pandemic benefit fraud and money laundering, the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts said Wednesday.

Paulino, a Democrat, represents the 16th Essex District which includes Lawrence and Methuen. He was indicted on eight counts of wire fraud and three counts of unlawful monetary transactions. He's the second high-ranking elected official from the area to be charged with fraud and money laundering this month.

Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña was arrested Friday, August 14. He was also indicted Wednesday, but for a separate alleged scheme.

Federal prosecutors said Paulino used intermediaries and the identities of other people, "to funnel pandemic-related relief funds to his own personal and business bank accounts," from April 2020 to December 2021.

According to his state legislature website, Paulino has two children and is a "tax lawyer/business consultant."

In the indictment, Paulino is accused of using his tax preparation business, Madison Tax, "as a device of his scheme to defraud."

He allegedly accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in government loans under false pretenses.

WBZ-TV has reached out to Paulino's office for comment on the charges but has not heard back.

More information in the case is expected to be revealed at a news conference at U.S. Attorney Leah Foley's office in Boston at 11 a.m. Wednesday.