By Nate Raymond
BOSTON, Feb 3 (Reuters) – Four individuals in Massachusetts face federal charges for using 115 stolen identities to fraudulently obtain over $1 million in food stamp and pandemic unemployment benefits. This case is part of a larger push to combat fraud in government aid programs that gained momentum during the Trump administration.
According to prosecutors, the accused exploited stolen identities to access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, using the funds to purchase large quantities of meat for a restaurant owned by one of the defendants. U.S. Attorney Leah Foley shared that this scheme allowed them to illegally acquire $440,000 from SNAP between 2023 and 2025, which is managed by individual states.
In addition, they allegedly took in over $700,000 through fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims from 2020 to 2021 across several states, including Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio. Foley noted that this case is part of a bigger issue, highlighting the significant amount of benefit fraud nationwide.
The group includes Raul Fernandez Vicioso, a restaurant owner in Leominster, Massachusetts, who has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy and fraud charges. The other three defendants, Joel Vicioso Fernandez, Roman Vequiz Fernandez, and Coralba Albarracin Siniva, have different immigration statuses and have also been charged with fraud-related offenses in federal court.
Foley emphasized that the issue of fraud is widespread. In December, she charged two store owners in Massachusetts with a separate $7 million SNAP trafficking scheme, pointing out that this reflects a troubling trend. She criticized some Democratic-led states, including Massachusetts, for not sharing essential data on SNAP recipients with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This data includes names and immigration statuses, which are controversial due to fears they could be used for immigration enforcement.
In fiscal year 2025, Massachusetts received over $2.6 billion in SNAP benefits. The state has resisted federal pressures to provide recipient information, arguing it could lead to unfair immigration practices. As fraud cases continue to rise, the debate around data sharing and the integrity of assistance programs remains a contentious issue.
