Randolph Dominguez, 58-year-old is sentenced to 15 months in prison for stealing and misappropriating COVID funds and social security benefits. He stole benefits for over 22 years and was sentenced in federal court in Boston. In January 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of stealing government money and wire fraud.
The U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris sentenced him to 15 months imprisonment and three years supervision after the release. In total, he fraudulently stole more than $200,000. So he has been asked to pay back $274,119.
This started when he submitted a loan application in June 2020. It was for a small business he owned. He sent the loan application to the Small Business Administration (SBA) with the reason that he had suffered economic loss during the pandemic.
According to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, he fraudulently received approximately $90,000 in funds. He filed false claims to receive the money from June 2020 through July 2021.
He also made a false claim that his gross business revenue was $600,000 the previous year. The actual amount was just $16,989. Dominguez further used all his procured funds on non-business expenses. He got an SUV for $16,192.22. His other expenses include gun ranges, adult bookstores, websites, smoke shops, and liquor stores.
A Massachusetts man has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining and misusing COVID-19 relief funds and stealing #SocialSecurity benefits totaling over $200,000. Read more: https://t.co/awoME79IWW pic.twitter.com/SkZuARTtpX
— Social Security OIG (@TheSSAOIG) June 6, 2025
He did not stop here but again applied for another EIDL loan in May 2021 for a whooping $200,600. This was also under a false business revenue amount. However, SBA was able to spot fraudulent activity this time and his loan was rejected.
He also got a $3,500 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan the same year, which was a part of temporary relief for those affected by COVID. He again used the funds for non-business activity–an all-inclusive vacation in Cancun, Mexico!
Coming to stealing Social Security benefits, he did this from April 2001 to 2023. He received payments of more than $163,642 by not reporting his father’s death. Instead, he changed the address to his own place and continues to receive the checks. He used his father’s debit card to get the money for more than two decades after his death. This is not one standalone case but several people do this. The verdict of the case is an example of what’s coming for them in the future.
🚨 #BREAKING: The Supreme Court has just granted DOGE FULL ACCESS to the Social Security database
Now we’re REALLY going to find some MASSIVE evidence of waste fraud and abuse.
Social Security payouts total about $1.6 TRILLION per year.
THE FLOOD GATES ARE OPEN! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1hRTYWItxB
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 6, 2025
Even though he was receiving the checks, in 2019, he claimed his father was dependent on him. So, he filed tax returns to get more credits. Now, he has been ordered to rectify the wrong tax returns as well. He is doing so under a supervised release until he can fix the errors.
