Massachusetts couple arrested, charged with multiple counts of fraud

Ronaldo Solano is also facing additional counts of mail and wire fraud. The Solanos were expected to appear in federal court in Boston later Wednesday, Levy’s office said.

The Solanos, who operated a roofing and construction company based in Framingham under the names H&R Roofing & Construction Inc. and H&R Roofing & Siding Corp., are accused of avoiding more than $627,000 in workers’ compensation insurance premiums by intentionally underreporting payroll expenses and paying workers through a shell company, Levy’s office said.

They are accused of doing so over an eight-year period stretching roughly from 2012 to 2020.

Separately, between 2021 and 2022, the Solanos submitted a loan application on behalf of the roofing company to the Small Business Administration under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, which provided pandemic relief funds to companies.

In their application, Ronaldo and Adriana Solano are accused of requesting $2 million in relief funds for “working capital and other business expenses,” according to the statement.

After receiving the funds, the couple is accused of moving $1 million to a personal bank account they shared, and using more than $825,000 for a down payment toward a home in Hopkinton.

Prosecutors said Ronaldo and Adriana Solano borrowed another $770,500 from a mortgage lender to pay for the home, but did not disclose the use of the disaster loan for the down payment.

If convicted on both charges, Adriana Solano would face up to 50 years in prison and significant fines that could total more than $1 million. Ronaldo Solano would face the same penalties, and an additional sentence of no more than 20 years in prison for the charges of mail fraud and wire fraud, Levy’s office said.

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