Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and the Fraudulent Use of Government Seals

Mario Cesar Dos Santos, Jr., a Massachusetts resident, has pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and fraudulent use of government seals. Dos Santos misrepresented the organization he led, Chaplain Emergency Management Agency, Inc. (CEMA), as a federal agency authorized and endorsed by entities like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He falsely claimed partnership with FEMA and charged individuals to attend CEMA training courses, promising them chaplaincy certificates that fraudulently displayed government seals. Dos Santos assured attendees that these certificates and IDs granted them authority to act in emergencies and even falsely claimed such credentials would protect against immigration enforcement and deportation. His activities were part of a broader deception involving the use of altered government logos and false affiliations on CEMA's digital platforms. Dos Santos has overstayed his visa and is currently engaged in deportation proceedings. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, in collaboration with multiple federal agencies, investigated the case.