{"publisher":{"name":"MediaBias News","url":"https://mediabias.news","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology","editorialPrinciples":"https://mediabias.news/editorial-principles","corrections":"https://mediabias.news/corrections"},"scoreGuide":{"trust":"How well corroborated and evidenced the source reporting is. 0-100, higher is better.","critic":"Craft quality of the source journalism: context, balance, fact vs comment. 0-100, higher is better.","hype":"How far the source presentation runs ahead of substance. 0-100, LOWER IS BETTER.","scope":"Scores assess the original reporting this article was written from, not the truth of the underlying event and not the quality of this write-up."},"assessmentGuide":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"story":{"id":"https://mediabias.news/politics/massachusetts-rep-paulino-arrested-on-fraud-charges","slug":"massachusetts-rep-paulino-arrested-on-fraud-charges","url":"https://mediabias.news/politics/massachusetts-rep-paulino-arrested-on-fraud-charges","title":"Massachusetts Rep. Paulino Arrested on Fraud Charges","subtitle":"State lawmaker accused of scamming over $700,000 in federal pandemic relief funds.","excerpt":"Massachusetts State Representative Francisco Paulino has been arrested and charged with 11 counts of fraud and money laundering. He is accused of orchestrating a scheme to obtain over $700,000 in federal pandemic relief funds, allegedly using some for personal expenses and campaign contributions.","category":"Politics","area":"United States","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T20:25:12.525Z","sourceReportedAt":"2026-08-26T18:01:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-26T20:25:12.525Z","readTime":"2 min read","scores":{"trust":42,"critic":60,"hype":61,"notes":{"trust":"Central claim attributed to named official, but relies on anonymous sourcing for some details.","critic":"Quotes affected parties and names specific details, but lacks comment on future actions or unknowns.","hype":"Headline uses 'ARRESTED' and 'FRAUD' prominently, with 'BREAKING' tag, creating urgency."}},"tags":["#PandemicFraud","#PoliticalCorruption","#Massachusetts","#UnemploymentFraud","#MoneyLaundering"],"entities":["Francisco Paulino","Leah Foley","Brian DePeña","Massachusetts"],"body":[{"type":"key_takeaways","items":["Massachusetts State Representative Francisco Paulino was arrested and charged with 11 counts including pandemic unemployment insurance fraud, pandemic loan fraud, and money laundering.","U.S. Attorney Leah Foley stated Paulino allegedly devised a scheme to obtain more than $700,000 in federal pandemic relief funds.","Paulino is accused of using some of the funds for personal use, including real estate, loan payments, and his campaign account.","The alleged fraud began in 2020 when Paulino signed up for COVID relief funding for a relative."]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Massachusetts State Representative Francisco Paulino has been arrested and charged with 11 counts related to pandemic unemployment insurance fraud, pandemic loan fraud, and money laundering. U.S. Attorney Leah Foley announced that Paulino allegedly devised a scheme to obtain over $700,000 in federal pandemic relief funds."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"According to the indictment, Paulino is accused of using some of the funds for personal benefit, including expenses for real estate, loan payments, and transfers to his campaign account. He also allegedly lent other funds to individuals at interest rates higher than those offered by the pandemic relief program. The alleged fraud began in 2020 when Paulino reportedly signed up for COVID relief funding for a relative."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Paulino's arrest follows that of Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña, who was also arrested this month on similar charges of pandemic loan fraud and money laundering. DePeña is accused of diverting public funds since 2020, using pandemic relief money for his tire shop, mayoral campaign, and personal debts."},{"type":"heading","text":"Coverage comparison"},{"type":"heading","text":"What the coverage left out"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"None of the right-rated reports below mention the specific amount of money Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña allegedly diverted or the name of his business, Tenares Tire Services Inc."}],"basedOn":[{"sourceName":"Internewscast","url":"https://internewscast.com/news/us/democratic-officials-charged-in-alleged-covid-relief-funds-fraud-scheme","headline":"Democratic Officials Charged in Alleged COVID Relief Funds Fraud Scheme","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T21:11:37.000Z"},{"sourceName":"New York Post","url":"https://nypost.com/2026/08/26/us-news/democratic-officials-charged-with-fraud-due-to-alleged-covid-relief-funds-scam","headline":"Democratic officials charged with fraud due to alleged COVID relief funds scam","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T21:08:29.000Z"},{"sourceName":"The Blaze","url":"https://theblaze.com/news/massachusetts-state-arrest-pandemic-fraud","headline":"Democrat state lawmaker ARRESTED for allegedly STEALING federal pandemic funds","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T20:35:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"IBTimes UK","url":"https://ibtimes.co.uk/massachusetts-rep-francisco-paulino-pandemic-fraud-1816494","headline":"Massachusetts Democrat Rep Arrested for Pandemic Fraud, Second Local Official Charged in Weeks","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T19:16:47.000Z"},{"sourceName":"realnewsnow.com","url":"https://realnewsnow.com/two-massachusetts-democrats-charged-in-separate-covid-relief-fraud-schemes","headline":"Two Massachusetts Democrats Charged in Separate COVID Relief Fraud Schemes - Real News Now","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T19:11:10.000Z"},{"sourceName":"大纪元 Epoch Times","url":"https://epochtimes.com/b5/26/8/26/n14837308.htm","headline":"Massachusetts State Legislator Arrested on Suspicion of Fraudulently Claiming COVID-19 Relief Funds.","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T19:04:45.484Z"},{"sourceName":"Newsmax","url":"https://newsmax.com/politics/francisco-paulino-massachusetts-pandemic/2026/08/26/id/1267408","headline":"Mass. Democrat Paulino Charged With Pandemic Relief Fraud","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T19:00:17.000Z"},{"sourceName":"The Gateway Pundit","url":"https://thegatewaypundit.com/2026/08/fbi-arrests-massachusetts-democrat-state-covid-relief-fraud","headline":"FBI Arrests Massachusetts Democrat State Rep. on COVID Relief Fraud Charges — Second Lawrence-Area Democrat Busted This Month * The Gateway Pundit * by Jim Hᴏft","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T18:40:52.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Washington Times","url":"https://washingtontimes.com/news/2026/aug/26/democratic-pols-charged-covid-fraud-massachusetts","headline":"Democratic pols charged with COVID fraud in Massachusetts","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T18:27:48.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Times of India","url":"https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/700000-taxpayer-scam-mass-rep-paulino-charged-with-pandemic-benefit-fraud-money-laundering/videoshow/133548606.cms","headline":"'$700,000 taxpayer scam!': Mass. Rep. Paulino charged with pandemic benefit fraud, money laundering","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T18:07:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"democraticaccent.com","url":"https://democraticaccent.com/democrat-officials-charged-for-allegedly-scamming-covid-relief-funds","headline":"Democrat officials charged for allegedly scamming COVID relief funds – Democratic Accent","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T18:01:29.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Fox News","url":"https://foxnews.com/politics/democrat-officials-charged-allegedly-scamming-covid-relief-funds","headline":"Democratic officials charged for allegedly scamming COVID relief funds","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T18:01:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"TrendingPolitics","url":"https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/just-in-massachusetts-democrat-rep-arrested-by-the-fbi-cmc","headline":"JUST IN: Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Arrested By The FBI","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T17:42:38.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Boston.com","url":"https://boston.com/news/local-news/2026/08/26/appalling-methuen-state-rep-arrested-on-pandemic-relief-fraud-charges","headline":"'Appalling': Methuen state rep. arrested on pandemic relief fraud charges","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T16:28:12.000Z"},{"sourceName":"100% FED UP!","url":"https://100percentfedup.com/breaking-democrat-massachusetts-state-rep-arrested-hit-11","headline":"BREAKING: Democrat Massachusetts State Rep Arrested, Hit With 11 Federal Counts in Pandemic Fraud Case – 100PercentFedUp.com – by Jack","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T15:12:07.000Z"},{"sourceName":"WGBH","url":"https://wgbh.org/news/local/2026-08-26/massachusetts-state-rep-indicted-on-wire-fraud-money-laundering-charges","headline":"Massachusetts state rep indicted on wire fraud, money laundering charges","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T14:31:36.026Z"},{"sourceName":"WBUR","url":"https://wbur.org/news/2026/08/26/massachusetts-francisco-paulino-pandemic-unemployment-fraud-indictment","headline":"Methuen state Rep. Paulino indicted on federal fraud charges, weeks after Lawrence mayor was also charged","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T14:30:16.631Z"},{"sourceName":"RedState","url":"https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2026/08/26/something-in-the-water-two-ma-public-officials-charged-with-massively-pillaging-covid-relief-funds-n2206102","headline":"Something in the Water? Two MA Public Officials Charged With Massively Pillaging COVID Relief Funds","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T13:52:14.000Z"},{"sourceName":"WHAV","url":"https://whav.net/2026/08/26/feds-indict-arrest-methuen-rep-paulino-on-pandemic-aid-fraud-charges","headline":"Feds Indict, Arrest Methuen Rep. Paulino on Pandemic Aid Fraud Charges","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-26T13:47:57.000Z"},{"sourceName":"The Daily News of Newburyport","url":"https://newburyportnews.com/news/regional_news/methuen-rep-paulino-indicted-on-federal-fraud-charges/article_c75cc281-a422-4ae0-af5d-cf7231c41f2a.html","headline":"Methuen Rep. 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