12 charged in Federal document and benefit fraud investigation

BOSTON – Twelve individuals were charged in federal court in Boston as a result of a federal sweep targeting offenders of document and benefit fraud. The defendants have allegedly used the identities of U.S. Citizens from Puerto Rico as their own. Ten of the 12 individuals charged today are unlawfully present in the United States, and six have criminal records in the names of the victims whose identities they have stolen.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized field investigative group comprised of personnel from 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.

The DBFTF is currently investigating suspected aliens who are believed to have obtained stolen identities of United States citizens born in Puerto Rico. Many of the individuals used the identities to obtain public benefits, which they would not otherwise be eligible to receive, including Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles identity documents, Social Security numbers, and Medicaid, and to engage in suspicious financial transactions, including transferring funds.

With the exception of one defendant, the following individuals have each been charged with aggravated identity theft and false representation of a Social Security number:

1) David Alexander Arias Arias, 31, a Dominican national currently serving a 41-month sentence in federal prison in Pennsylvania. In 2017, Arias Arias was caught on a court-authorized wiretap dealing fentanyl under his stolen identity; he was subsequently charged in federal court in New Hampshire. At the time of his arrest, Arias Arias was known to reside in Lawrence.

2) Jose Miguel Baez, 43, a Dominican national residing in Lawrence. Baez has received more than $8400 in unemployment benefits in his victim’s name.

3) Rafael Emilio Cruz Ciprian, 26, a Dominican national residing in Lawrence. Cruz Ciprian was arrested in Lowell on Aug. 4, 2018, on various charges, including giving false name/information to an officer and distribution of a Class A substance. During the arrest, Cruz Ciprian provided law enforcement with the identity of the victim whose identity was stolen.

4) Alejandro Yoel Diaz Diaz, 28, a Dominican national residing in Lawrence. Diaz Diaz has been arrested twice for drug dealing; on both occasions he provided his victim’s identity to law enforcement as his own.

5) Lilian Fana Martinez, 28, a Dominican national residing in Methuen, who, during multiple arrests, has presented the victim’s stolen identity to law enforcement as her own.

6) Mirtha Magdalenny Lara Lara, 31, a Dominican national living in Lawrence with lawful permanent residence status.

7) Elluz Yelitza Penalo Aguasvivas, 30, a Venezuelan national residing in Lawrence.

8) Ismael Robles Tejeda, 29, a Dominican national residing in Lawrence.

9) Francisco Antonio Sanchez Bernabe, 48, a Dominican national residing in Methuen. Sanchez Bernabe has been arrested/and or charged three times in Massachusetts: in May 2015, for possession and distribution of heroin; in April 2017, for possession to distribute a Class A substance; and in August 2017, for failure to stop for a police officer. During each of these arrests, Sanchez Bernabe provided the victim’s identity to the police as his own.

10) Damarys Sanchez Sanchez, 44, a Dominican national residing in Lawrence, was charged only with misuse of a Social Security number.

11) Santo Pascual Soto Diaz, 38, a Dominican national residing in Lawrence.

12) Freddy Tejada-Diaz, a/k/a Freddy Tejada Zapata; a/k/a Freddy Tejadadia; a/k/a Fredy Zapata; a/k/a Fredy Antonio Zapata-Soto, 52, a Dominican national residing in Lawrence. Tejada-Diaz was ordered deported in 1996 by a judge in New York, though Tejada-Diaz failed to appear on the court date the judge ordered him removed. Tejada-Diaz never left; instead, he assumed a new identity and was eventually arrested for shoplifting in New Hampshire under his victim’s name.

“This case is part of our ongoing effort to target federal crime in the Lawrence area,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling, “and we will keep up the pressure for as long as necessary. The 12 men and women charged allegedly stole and used the identities of U.S. citizens to live illegally in the United States, receive government benefits in the names of their victims, and even commit crimes in the names of those victims. This is a rampant problem, and my office is committed to helping those whose identities have been compromised to regain control over their lives.”

“The identity theft committed in these cases is a disrespect to our immigration laws,” said Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations in Boston. “Today’s arrests are the culmination of months of intensive investigative interagency work by our Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force and partner agencies. We appreciate the U.S. Attorney’s commitment to prosecuting those arrested today. We are confident that facts in these cases will show that those who allegedly participated in these criminally fraudulent actions have committed not only identity theft crimes but also associated benefit fraud and financial crimes.”

“My Office and our partners take document benefit fraud very seriously,” said Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division. “Those who misuse Social Security numbers affect the integrity of the entire Social Security system.”

“Document and identity fraud are serious crimes with far reaching and significant consequences for the individual victims, and which carry the potential for a broader threat to public safety and homeland security,” said Colonel Kerry Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. “We were pleased to be able to work with our law enforcement partners on this important operation.”

In July 2018, a DBFTF led investigation resulted in the arrests of 25 individuals on charges of identity theft and Social Security fraud.

The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year sentence that must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. False representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.