Cambridge Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government Benefits.
On September 16, 2020, a Cambridge woman pleaded guilty in the US District Court in Boston on two counts of theft of government benefits. The indictment alleged the woman fraudulently received approximately $71,636 in Social Security benefits and $13,923 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from December 2009 through September 2018 by failing to report that her mother, the rightful recipient of these benefits, was deceased. Sentencing was initially scheduled for December 17, 2020, but was not held.
Cambridge Woman Charged with Theft of Government Benefits and Wire Fraud.
On April 5, 2021, a Cambridge woman was arrested and charged with stealing Social Security benefits and committing wire fraud to receive SNAP benefits. The woman faces one count of theft of public funds and three counts of wire fraud. The indictment alleges the woman maintained and used two Social Security numbers under two different names, under both of which she applied for and received Social Security benefits. It also alleges that she applied for and received SNAP benefits that she was not entitled to receive using the two names and numbers. As a result, it is alleged that she stole approximately $184,410 in Social Security benefits from March 1993 through November 2018 and $12,916.89 in SNAP benefits from February 2012 through April 2020.
Fitchburg Woman Sentenced for Theft of Government Benefits.
Also on April 5, 2021, a Fitchburg woman was sentenced in the US District Court in Worcester on three counts of theft of public funds and two counts of making false statements. In December 2020, the woman changed her not guilty plea and pleaded guilty to all five counts. Over approximately eight years, the woman fraudulently received $71,462 in Social Security benefits, $6,444 in MassHealth benefits, and $13,505 in SNAP benefits by falsely informing the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and the Social Security Administration about the members of her household.
Despite Pandemic, BSI Participation in Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force Continues.
As an active member of the US Attorney’s Public Assistance Fraud Task Force, BSI received 29 referrals in FY21. BSI also continued to serve on the Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), which comprises various local, state, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.
DBFTF’s “Double Trouble” investigation continued to identify suspected aliens, predominately from the Dominican Republic, who allegedly obtained stolen identities of United States citizens living in Puerto Rico and then used those identities to obtain documents and public benefits that they would not otherwise be eligible to receive. Most frequently, these benefits included Registry of Motor Vehicles identity documents, Social Security numbers, Medicaid, unemployment compensation, and public housing subsidies. During FY21, the defendants in two separate Double Trouble cases were sentenced.
On February 10, 2021, a Dominican national previously residing in Lynn, pleaded guilty to theft of public money and making a false statement on an application for Social Security benefits. He applied for Social Security benefits and SNAP benefits using the identity of a Puerto Rican citizen. He fraudulently received $12,222 in SNAP benefits and $16,080 in MassHealth benefits from October 2008 through July 2016 by using the stolen identity. (https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/dominican-national-pleads-guilty-stealing-government-benefits-and-making-false-statement)
On May 18, 2021, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison and two years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $15,840 to MassHealth and $12,222 to DTA in restitution. Upon completion of his sentence, he will face deportation proceedings. (https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/dominican-national-sentenced-stealing-government-benefits-and-making-false-statement)
On November 23, 2020, a Dominic national was sentenced by US District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 18 months in prison and two years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $47,762 in restitution. He was arrested and charged in June 2019, and he pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful entry, one count of false representation of a Social Security number, and two counts of theft of government money in September 2020.
Previously deported from the United State in 1998, he applied for a Massachusetts identification card using the name and Social Security number of another United States citizen on October 7, 2015. Based on the application, he was issued an identification card in the name of the other United States citizen. He also used that name and Social Security number to receive Section 8 housing assistance and SNAP benefits. He fraudulently received $32,352 in Section 8 benefits for more than six years and $15,409 in SNAP benefits over the course of a decade. (https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/dominican-national-sentenced-social-security-fraud-and-theft
On June 11, 2021, a Dominican national previously residing in Roslindale, pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of making a false statement relating to health care matters. Using the identity of a Puerto Rican citizen, he obtained Massachusetts driver’s licenses, identification cards, and MassHealth benefits. He fraudulently received approximately $18,977 in MassHealth benefits for which he was not entitled by using the victim’s identity between January 1, 2008 and December 21, 2019. (https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/dominican-national-pleads-guilty-misusing-social-security-number-and-making-false)
While the bulk of cases BSI investigates are referred from state agencies and law enforcement, the general public also plays a vital role in reporting fraud. The State Auditor’s Office has an online form to report public assistance fraud: https://www.mass.gov/forms/report-public-benefit-fraud-online. Citizens can also use BSI’s fraud reporting hotline: (617) 727–6771.
All complaints are kept confidential.