Local News
Prosecutors say Reuben Taylor falsely claimed he earned nearly $100,000 as an independent mechanic to secure a $20,844 pandemic relief loan.
A Boston city official has agreed to plead guilty to fraudulently obtaining a federal pandemic relief loan, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.
Reuben Taylor, 40, of Boston, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud in connection with a $20,844 Paycheck Protection Program loan he allegedly obtained using fabricated tax documents, according to U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley’s office.
Since 2008, Taylor has worked for Boston’s Municipal Protective Services — an unarmed, non-sworn security unit within the city’s Property Management Department.
Prosecutors say Taylor applied for the loan in April 2021, claiming he had worked as an independent auto…
PROCUREMENT & EXPENDITURE (STOPPING KICKBACKS)
Procurement fraud usually involves inflated invoices or “fictitious” vendors.
- The Three-Way Match: Never pay an invoice unless you have matched the Purchase Order (PO), the Delivery Note (signed), and the Supplier Invoice.
- Vendor Master File Review: Review your vendor list annually. Look for suppliers with the same bank details or physical addresses as your employees.
- Dual Authorization: Implement a “Two-to-Sign” rule for all EFT payments above a certain threshold (e.g., R5,000).
- No “Cashing” of Checks: If you still use physical checks, strictly prohibit “Cash” as a payee and store blank checks in a dual-lock safe.