Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and the Fraudulent Use of Government Seals
Ocala, FL / Monday, September 28, 2026 – Mario Cesar Dos Santos, Jr. (50, Massachusetts) has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of fraudulent use of government seals. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 18, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Dos Santos was the president of an organization called Chaplain Emergency Management Agency, Inc. (CEMA), which he falsely claimed was a government agency endorsed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In doing so, Dos Santos fraudulently used the seals of FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to fraudulently portray CEMA as a federal government agency and charge individuals to attend “Chaplaincy Training Courses” in Florida and other states, as well as abroad. Neither Dos Santos nor CEMA have authorization to use the seals of DHS, FEMA, or FBI, nor are they otherwise affiliated with these agencies or any other department or agency of the federal government.
As outlined in the court documents, Dos Santos organized numerous CEMA Chaplaincy Training Courses. At these trainings, Dos Santos falsely told attendees that CEMA partnered with FEMA and that CEMA and its courses were endorsed by FEMA. The courses were free to attend, but Dos Santos charged attendees approximately $400 to $450 to receive a chaplaincy certificate. After attendees completed the course and paid the associated fees, Dos Santos provided them with identification cards, law enforcement badges, and course completion certificates containing the seals of various departments and agencies of the United States. Dos Santos told attendees that the ID cards and badges authorized them to support law enforcement during emergency situations and take control of emergency situations until law enforcement arrived. He also told them that their status as CEMA chaplains would give them a level of immunity from immigration enforcement and would keep them safe from deportation. These claims were false.
As shown in the images below, the ID cards contained one of CEMA’s logos, which consists of the DHS seal, modified to state, “U.S. Department of Homeland Chaplain.” The back of the ID cards contained the DHS/FEMA seal. The certificates contained the FBI seal and a slightly different version of the CEMA logo—an older version of the FEMA seal, modified to state, “U.S. Department of Homeland Chaplain.”
Dos Santos also offered various CEMA merchandise for sale, including polo shirts, bumper stickers, jackets, badges, and badge holders—all bearing either the DHS or FEMA seal. During an undercover operation conducted at a training held on September 27, 2025, a confidential informant purchased merchandise items, pictured below. Approximately 30 to 45 individuals attended the training.
As part of the undercover operation, the confidential informant also obtained access to a CEMA group chat which had more than 750 members at the time the investigation began in August 2025. Dos Santos used the group chat to promote upcoming courses, including by sending digital flyers of such courses.
CEMA’s website and social media accounts all displayed the CEMA logo (an altered version of the DHS seal) and falsely identify CEMA as a government organization or federal agency. The website also falsely claimed that CEMA was “fully accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and the American Council on Education (ACE).”
Dos Santos was arrested February 19, 2026, at the Orlando International Airport, after he traveled from Boston to Orlando for a CEMA training that was scheduled for February 21. At the time of his arrest, Dos Santos was wearing a CEMA polo shirt with the DHS seal on the sleeve and chest.
Dos Santos is a Brazilian national who came to the United States in 2016. He has overstayed his visa and is undergoing deportation proceedings.
“Impersonating federal government agencies and/or officials is a serious crime,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “The collective values and missions of these agencies represent the communities they serve and must be protected.”
DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., said, “We condemn the misuse of any government seal to defraud victims for personal gain. We want to thank all our federal, state and local partners for their work leading up to this arrest.”
“This plea demonstrates the importance of holding accountable those who misuse the credibility and symbols of the federal government for personal gain,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate fraud schemes that deceive the public and undermine the trust in legitimate government agencies.”
If you believe you have been a victim of this fraudulent scheme, please contact the FBI via email at CEMAPotentialVictims@fbi.gov no later than October 30, 2026.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate, and the Federal Air Marshal Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Callaos.
Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida
