A Boston resident, Tyrone Brimage, 28, has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for his involvement in multiple fraud schemes. The sentencing took place on January 23, 2026, with Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris presiding. In addition to the prison term, Brimage will serve three years of supervised release and must pay $67,022 in restitution.
Brimage pleaded guilty in January 2025 to two counts of bank fraud and three counts of wire fraud. According to court documents, Brimage submitted two fraudulent unemployment claims in July 2020 while incarcerated at the Norfolk County Jail. He falsely claimed that his employment was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, he received $43,155 from the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance before authorities discovered he had filed multiple claims using different social security numbers.
In October 2020, Brimage tried to deposit a payroll check for $16,427 into his personal account. The City of Boston confirmed that the check was fake and that Brimage had never been employed by the city.
The case also involved fraudulent activity related to pandemic relief programs. In May 2021, Brimage submitted a false Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) application for a barber shop he did not own. He later obtained a $20,832 loan intended for payroll costs and other business expenses.
Further investigation revealed that in July 2023, Brimage deposited a stolen check worth $3,032 into an account he controlled. The issuer verified that the check had been stolen from the mail. Brimage withdrew cash from this deposit shortly after.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the sentencing along with officials from several federal agencies: “Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston and Wellesley Police Departments.” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun and Philip C. Cheng prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of efforts by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), which was established under Executive Order 14159 to combat criminal organizations operating within and outside U.S. borders. The HSTF includes agents from various federal departments as well as state and local law enforcement agencies.