Court For Couple In Housing Aid Fraud

A couple living in an $860,000 home in one of the wealthiest communities in Massachusetts is going before a judge to answer charges of fraudulently obtaining tens of thousands of dollars in public housing subsidies.

Forty-five-year-old Paulo Montenegro and his 48-year-old wife, Rosana Pereira, of Weston, are scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday on charges of larceny by false pretense and conspiracy to commit larceny by false pretense.

Authorities also allege the couple made $250,000 by lying to mortgage lenders to buy multifamily homes in Somerville and Medford.

Prosecutors say Pereira under-reported income and assets, and said she was unmarried when she was married to and living with Montenegro.

Montenegro said he knows nothing about the allegations. Montenegro is a car salesman and Pereira a house cleaner.