Put a Seal on It
Mario Cesar Dos Santos Jr., 50, of Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and fraudulent use of government seals, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. Prosecutors say he used the seals of FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI to make the Chaplain Emergency Management Agency look like a federal government agency.
The alleged pitch had the classic scam ingredient of borrowed authority: if the logo looks official enough, perhaps nobody will ask who actually runs the organization or where the money goes.
Government Costume Jewelry
According to DOJ, the scheme involved charging individuals to attend the organization’s events while using the federal seals to create a false impression. A government seal is not a magic sticker that upgrades a private group into a federal department, although the case suggests someone tried to use it that way.
Dos Santos faces up to 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 18, 2026.
The Bottom Line
Scammers have always borrowed uniforms, titles and official-sounding language. This one allegedly went straight for the logo package. A seal can make a document look governmental, but only an actual government agency can make it governmental.