A Brockton resident has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. Nelson Roche Diaz, 29, admitted to one count of wire fraud conspiracy and one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun, who scheduled sentencing for January 13, 2026.
Roche Diaz was indicted in January 2025 along with Dominik Manigo. According to authorities, in May 2020 both individuals submitted false claims on the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance portal and provided fraudulent letters stating that their employment at a Boston restaurant had been affected by the pandemic. Investigators determined that neither Roche nor Manigo had ever worked at the restaurant. Each received more than $43,000 in PUA and related funds as a result of these actions.
Manigo previously pleaded guilty in July 2025 and is set for sentencing on November 18, 2025.
Wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy each carry a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and fines up to $250,000. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
The case was announced by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge at Homeland Security Investigations New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble from the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Thomas Demeo from IRS Criminal Investigation’s Boston Field Office. The Weymouth Police Department also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation that aims to identify and dismantle high-level criminal organizations through coordinated efforts among multiple agencies using intelligence-driven strategies.
More information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
In response to increased pandemic-related fraud during COVID-19 relief efforts, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force on May 17, 2021.
The task force coordinates resources across government agencies to investigate major cases of pandemic relief fraud and provides support for agencies managing relief programs.
Further details are available at https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Individuals with information regarding attempted COVID-19-related fraud can report it through the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline or via its online complaint form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
