Dorchester Woman (Formerly of Cambridge) Sentenced for Theft of Government Benefits.
On December 15, 2020, a Dorchester woman, who formerly resided in Cambridge, was sentenced in the US District Court in Boston on two counts of theft of government benefits. In September 2020, the woman pleaded guilty to fraudulently receiving 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. The woman allegedly impersonated her deceased mother in interactions with the benefit programs for nearly nine years. She received a sentence of eight months of home confinement and three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of $85,559 to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and to the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA).
Cambridge Woman Indicted for Social Security and Welfare Fraud.
On July 7, 2021, a Cambridge woman was arrested and charged with fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits, SNAP benefits, and Section 8 housing assistance. The woman faces three counts of theft of public funds. The indictment alleges that over a period of approximately 13 years, the woman stole Social Security benefits and Section 8 housing assistance benefits. It also alleges that she stole SNAP benefits for more than three years during that time. As a result, it is alleged that she stole approximately $176,621.25 in Social Security benefits from January 2006 through December 2019 and $55,897.62 in SNAP benefits from October 2001 through December 2019.
Marlborough Woman Pleads Guilty to Welfare Fraud.
On March 4, 2022, a Marlborough woman pleaded guilty to fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits, MassHealth, SNAP benefits, and Section 8 housing assistance. The woman pleaded guilty to four counts of theft of public funds and two counts of making false statements. Over approximately 12 years, the woman allegedly stole $68,223 in Social Security benefits, $1,908 in MassHealth benefits, $21,790 in SNAP benefits, and $161,277 in Section 8 housing assistance by falsely claiming she lived alone when, in fact, she was living with her husband. It is alleged that she falsely informed SSA about her household composition in June 2016 and that she did the same with the Marlborough Community Development Authority in May 2017.
Despite Pandemic, BSI Participation in Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force Continued.
As an active member of the US Attorney’s Public Assistance Fraud Task Force, BSI received 12 referrals in FY22. 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 FY22, the defendants in two separate Double Trouble cases were sentenced.
On July 16, 2021, a Dominican national previously residing in Roxbury, pleaded guilty to false representation of a Social Security number and theft of government money. From January 2016 through August 2020, he applied for and received MassHealth benefits and Section 8 housing assistance using the identity of a Puerto Rican citizen. He fraudulently received over $58,000 in MassHealth benefits, approximately $20,780 in Section 8 housing assistance benefits, as well as $5,736 in PUA benefits over the four-year period by using the stolen identity. (https://oig.ssa.gov/news-releases/2021-07-19-newsroom-news-releases-dominican-national-pleads-guilty-social-security-misuse-and-theft-government/)
On October 7, 2021, US District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin sentenced him to 15 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay restitution of $84,610. Upon completion of his sentence, he will face deportation proceedings. (https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/dominican-national-sentenced-social-security-misuse-and-theft-government-money)
On October 14, 2021, US District Court Judge William G. Young sentenced a Dominican national to 14 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $18,997 in restitution to MassHealth and will be subject to deportation upon the completion of his sentence. Charged with one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of making a false statement relating to health care matters, he pleaded guilty to both counts in June 2021.
He applied for and obtained a Massachusetts driver’s license and identification cards using the identity of a Puerto Rican citizen. He also used that name and Social Security number to apply for and receive MassHealth benefits. He fraudulently received $18,997 in MassHealth benefits between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2019. (https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/dominican-national-sentenced-misusing-social-security-number-and-making-false-statement
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.