Suspected Illegals Make Up 11 of 15 Arrested in Massive $1.4M Massachusetts Fraud Scheme
Eleven of 15 people the Department of Justice arrested in a fraud crackdown in Massachusetts are believed to be illegal immigrants.
Taxpayers were ripped off for more than $1.4 million in benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Social Security disability payments, MassHealth, housing assistance and unemployment benefits, according to Fox News.
“Alarmingly, 11 of the 15 charged defendants are suspected illegal aliens, some of whom assumed stolen identities to steal these taxpayer-funded benefits and avoid detection,” said acting Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice’s National Fraud Enforcement Division Colin McDonald.
One defendant alone, Heriberto Rodriguez of Framingham, Massachusetts, is accused of ripping off taxpayers for more than $546,000 .
“In some cases, the victims of these crimes, the rightful beneficiaries of these funds, could not access benefits they needed,” McDonald said.
“American citizens were boxed out of these programs because illegal aliens took their names to then take their money.”
U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said more than 65 defendants have been accused of more than $56 million in fraud since January, according to a Department of Justice news release.
“There isn’t any place else in the world where you can go and be handed free food, free housing, free healthcare and free monthly checks, while being in the country illegally,” she said.
“However, it appears that you can come to Massachusetts and steal as many benefits as you want without fear and without any accountability.
“This is all ending on my watch. Beginning today, we will be announcing benefit fraud charges on a rolling basis.”
She said the arrests document “unchecked, unbridled, rampant fraud,” according to Fox News.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said that after their convictions, the illegal immigrants charged “will be swiftly removed from our country so they can never defraud American taxpayers again. Under President Trump, DHS is putting the American people first again.”
Among those charges was Santo Escolastico Cuello, 56, a Dominican national unlawfully living in Worcester, Mass., who is alleged to have defrauded MassHealth for $162,180.
Other charged were alleged to have committee fraud in a range between $11,000 and $75,000.
“Stealing someone’s identity to rip off unemployment benefits isn’t just breaking the law — it’s stealing from every American who plays by the rules,” Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General of the Department of Labor said.
McDonald noted that fraudsters anywhere in America are being hunted down.
“In less than two months following creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Department of Justice has announced over 650 major fraud enforcement activities across the country, including major takedowns in Minnesota, California and Ohio, and here today in Massachusetts,” McDonald said, according to WCVB-TV.
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