The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance issued the following statement Wednesday following the arrest and federal indictment of state Representative Francisco Paulino (D-Methuen) on charges related to alleged pandemic benefit fraud.
“Once again, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley and federal prosecutors are doing the work that Massachusetts residents should expect their own state government to be doing. At some point, Attorney General Andrea Campbell needs to explain why case after case involving alleged fraud, corruption, and misuse of taxpayer money is being uncovered and prosecuted by federal authorities while her office remains conspicuously absent,” said Paul Diego Craney, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance.
According to federal prosecutors, Paulino is accused of schemes involving pandemic unemployment benefits and federal COVID relief programs, including allegedly filing an unemployment claim in the name of a relative without that person’s knowledge and allegedly obtaining pandemic loans through businesses and other individuals.
The charges come less than two weeks after federal prosecutors arrested Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña, who is accused of fraudulently obtaining more than $1.5 million in pandemic-era small business loans and allegedly using proceeds for personal and campaign expenses. Paulino’s 16th Essex District includes portions of Lawrence and Methuen.
Paulino is also the second sitting Democratic state representative to face federal criminal charges during the current legislative session, following the April 2025 indictment of Representative Chris Flanagan (D-Dennis), who was accused of wire fraud in connection with an alleged scheme involving a local trade association.
“Within a matter of days, federal prosecutors have brought pandemic fraud cases against two elected officials representing the same community. Massachusetts taxpayers deserve to know why federal authorities continually appear to be the ones uncovering these alleged abuses and where Attorney General Campbell has been,” said Craney.