Plymouth DA: Bridgewater couple accused of theft of fundraiser for homeless man facing new allegations of $260,000 in benefit fraud

BROCKTON – A Bridgewater couple has been arraigned in Brockton Superior Court on charges that they fraudulently induced state and federal government benefit programs to pay them thousands of dollars in benefits they were not eligible to receive, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz has announced.

Rachel Kadis, 32, and Brian G. Ferreira, 34, are charged with several counts of theft and fraud stemming from their alleged multi-pronged scheme.

The charges against the couple follow an in-depth investigation by the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, along with Bridgewater Police, the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General and the Department of Transitional Assistance.

They allege that Kadis fraudulently induced state and federal government benefit programs – primarily Supplemental Security Income, Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, and MassHealth – to pay more than $267,000 in safety net benefits Kadis and her family were not eligible to receive.

Investigators found that even though Kadis and co-defendant Ferreira were married and lived together with four children, Kadis falsely posed as an unwed single mother living alone with her children and without support from Ferreira. Kadis allegedly forged their lease to remove any mention of Ferreira and uttered her forged leases as proof of her single parent household.

Kadis also allegedly gave false sworn testimony about Ferreira’s absence from the home and made numerous false written statements about their resources, living arrangements, marital status, and family composition, to dupe others into believing that they qualified for the needs-based benefits. In actuality, the investigation found that Ferreira lived with his family, earned a decent income, had employer-provided access to family health benefits, received additional monthly payments from the Veteran’s Administration, and took paid leave to care for his wife and children.

The indictments allege that Ferreira knowingly reaped the benefits of these defrauded social safety net programs, including free food for the household and extra income for a more comfortable life.

Investigators found, and the indictments allege, the estimated loss from the following programs:

• Social Security Insurance – approximately $45,500
• SNAP Program – approximately $34,600
• MassHealth – approximately $167,000
• Mass SSI State Supplement Program – approximately $6,200
• Rental Assistance for Families in Transition – approximately $14,500

Today, Kadis was arraigned in Brockton Superior Court on the following:

• 3 Counts of Larceny Over $1,200 by Single Scheme
• 1 Count of Public Assistance Fraud by Single Scheme
• 1 Count of False Statement for Medical Assistance by Single Scheme
• 1 Count of Publish False Financial Statement by Single Scheme
• 3 Counts of Forgery
• 3 Counts of Uttering
• 1 Count of Perjury by False Sworn Testimony
• 4 Counts of False Statement under Penalties of Perjury

Ferreira was arraigned on the following:

• 1 Count of Receiving Stolen Property Over $1,200 by Single Scheme
• 1 Count of Misleading a Criminal and/or Civil Investigation
• 1 Count of Conspiracy to defraud the MassHealth program

Both Kadis and Ferreira pleaded not guilty to the charges. Their appearance was waived for their next hearing on September 28.

Ferreira and Kadis have been indicted on another criminal case. On June 8, 2025, an unhoused man reported to Bridgewater Police that Ferreira and Kadis were fraudulently raising money under a GoFundMe campaign that they said was to benefit him, but the couple refused to give him the money. The man reported that there was approximately $18,000 raised, and that he did not receive any of it.

In the spring of 2025, the community of Bridgewater rallied around the man who was experiencing homelessness. On March 11, Kadis started a GoFundMe titled, “Support Greg’s Journey to Stability.” The campaign raised $17,800. On July 1, the intended recipient passed away, not having received any of the funds.

After an investigation, it was determined that Ferreira and Kadis created the GoFundMe campaign under the guise that it was for charitable purposes, but they used the money they raised as if it were their own and without restraint. When GoFundMe demanded that the couple return the unspent campaign funds so that it could issue direct refunds to the donors, the couple had to borrow from various revolving credit accounts to meet the demand.