Buzzoca

Paulino, a Democrat from Lawrence and Methuen, faces an 11-count indictment including wire fraud and money laundering for allegedly filing false pandemic unemployment claims and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from April 2020 to December 2021. Prosecutors say he funneled the money into personal and business accounts, using others’ identities like a relative’s. This arrest follows a similar case against Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña and underscores federal crackdowns on pandemic relief fraud; Paulino is presumed innocent until proven guilty and faces arraignment today.