FORMER VA EMPLOYEE SENTENCED FOR $41,666 PPP LOAN FRAUD
By VA Headlines - Published Nov 3, 2026 - Source dated October 30, 2026 (U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts)
A former Department of Veterans Affairs employee who worked as a medical technician has been sentenced to one year of probation for wire fraud after obtaining $41,666 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston announced October 30, 2026. The VA Office of Inspector General's Northeast Field Office made the announcement with the U.S. Attorney.
Who and what
- Denise Baez, 52, of Brockton, Mass., was employed as a medical technician with VA, DOJ says.
- She was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to one year of probation.
- She pleaded guilty in July 2026 to two counts of wire fraud, after being charged in April 2026.
How the fraud worked, per DOJ
- Baez submitted two PPP loan applications that made false claims about gross income supposedly earned from a sole proprietorship.
- To support those claims, she attached fraudulent tax documents.
- The applications were approved and she received $41,666, which DOJ says she spent on personal expenses.
- In September 2021, she submitted loan forgiveness applications that falsely claimed the entire $41,666 was spent on payroll. Based on that misrepresentation, the loans were forgiven.
Who brought the case
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri of VA OIG's Northeast Field Office announced the sentence. DOJ says the U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. DOJ filed the release under COVID-related fraud and public corruption.
Why it matters
PPP loans were emergency COVID-19 relief backed by taxpayers. VA's own Office of Inspector General, which looks into fraud involving VA programs and staff, joined the announcement of this case.
Related: VA fraud cases tracker. SpineFrontier kickbacks: surgeon and distributor sentenced. Oklahoma medical supply owner gets 14 years for $30M Medicare, TRICARE and CHAMPVA fraud. More: all VA Headlines reports. How we report: Methodology & Corrections.
Former Veterans Affairs Employee Sentenced for Fraudulently Obtaining Multiple Covid-19 Benefits - October 30, 2026
Read the DOJ release
Baez pleaded guilty in July 2026 and was sentenced Oct. 30, 2026, per DOJ. Facts on this page come only from the DOJ release. VA Headlines reports only what official records say. Spot an error? See our corrections policy.