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Former Suffolk County Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to COVID-Relief Fraud

Sentencing is scheduled for March 11, 2026.

Overview

  • Christnel Orisca, 25, pleaded guilty in federal court to five counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to a financial institution.
  • Prosecutors say he obtained approximately $54,700 through fraudulent claims tied to Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, traditional unemployment benefits, and Paycheck Protection Program loans.
  • The conduct occurred before his sheriff’s department employment while he worked full time for a security company and later a delivery company.
  • According to prosecutors, he filed weekly false certifications for PUA benefits and submitted misleading information to SBA‑approved lenders, including on PPP loan forgiveness forms.
  • He was arrested and charged in December 2024; investigators credited include the Labor and Homeland Security inspectors general, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Police, and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department.