Boston City Hall Employee Agrees To Plead Guilty To Fraud

Reuben Taylor, a 40-year-old Boston City Hall employee and director of the city’s Municipal Protective Services, agreed to plead guilty to federal wire fraud charges after obtaining and forgiving a $20,884 Paycheck Protection Program loan using fabricated tax documents, according to U.S. Attorney Leah Foley’s office. Taylor, who has worked for the municipal security division since 2008, admitted to initiating the pandemic fraud scheme in April 2021.

The Fraudulent Loan Application

To secure the $20,884 COVID-19 relief loan, Taylor falsely claimed that he worked as an auto mechanic in 2019. Federal prosecutors stated that Taylor submitted fabricated 1040 and Schedule C tax forms indicating he received no wages that year, but instead brought in $99,863 as an independent contractor.

Contrasting with the paperwork submitted for the loan application, Taylor provided an authentic 1040 form to the Internal Revenue Service showing he actually earned $97,561 in wages as a municipal police officer during that same 2019 tax year, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Loan Forgiveness and Federal Penalties

Taylor applied to have the $20,884 loan forgiven in August 2021, claiming the funds were spent on payroll for his purported auto mechanic business. The Small Business Administration approved the forgiveness in September 2021, converting the loan into a taxpayer-funded grant.

Following his agreement to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud, Taylor faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the court.

More on this story: Boston City Official Reuben Taylor to Plead Guilty to Wire Fraud, Prosecutors Say