Dominican national sentenced to prison after illegally receiving passport, driver’s license, benefits

A Dominican national is facing deportation after being convicted and sentenced in federal court for falsely representing his citizenship and Social Security number, misusing a passport, and for health care fraud, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

Diomedes Ramirez Rodriguez, 47, who resided in Providence, has been detained in federal custody since his arrest on March 9, 2021, and was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to time served – one year and eight days. He is further detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement awaiting deportation proceedings.

Rodriguez pled guilty on December 1, 2021, to false representation of a Social Security number, health care fraud, theft of public money, false representation of citizenship, and misuse of a passport.

According to charging documents, in 2008 and 2010, Rodriquez applied for and received a passport using the personal identifying information of a person living in Puerto Rico. Subsequently, Rodriguez, using the same personal information and that person’s Social Security number, applied for and received a Rhode Island driver’s license and identification card; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits totaling $7,342.64; and RI Medicaid Program RIte Care benefits totaling $39,023.61.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.

The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General/Office of Investigations, and the U. S. Department of Agriculture Food Nutrition Service.