The Department of Justice recently announced that it has brought charges against a total of 15 individuals, 11 of them illegal aliens, in connection with a benefits fraud scheme where the suspects allegedly stole $1.4 million in food stamps, health benefits, disability benefits, and unemployment benefits.
Federal officials held a press conference on June 18, 2026 in the city of Boston, Massachusetts, detailing the charges against the 11 illegal aliens and four U.S. citizens, including how much each of the suspects is accused of stealing from which benefits program. Heriberto Rodriguez is being charged with passport fraud, SNAP fraud, and aggravated identity theft in connection with a total benefit fraud loss of $546,463.
Mirian Chalas, 33, a U.S. citizen from Salem, New Hampshire is being charged with making false statements in connection with $266,000 in MassHealth fraud; $25,000 in Social Security Disability fraud; and $12,000 in SNAP fraud. Santo Escolastico Cuello, 56, an illegal alien from the Dominican Republic, is charged with aggravated identity theft and making false statements relating to a health care program in connection with $162,180 in MassHealth fraud.
According to Breitbart News, Richard Odelis Vallegas Nunez, 35, a Dominican national who is living in the United States illegally, is charged with aggravated identity theft and unlawful production of an identification document in connection with $48,865 in MassHealth fraud. Another illegal alien, whose name is unknown, is charged with illegal acquisition or use of SNAP benefits, theft of government funds, and aggravated identity theft.
An Indian national living in Worcester, Massachusetts, Mitul Patel, 40, is also facing charges of conspiracy to commit visa fraud, in which co-conspirators created a fake armed robbery of a convenience store in order to allow those victimized during the incident, such as Patel, to seek U Visas as a victim of a violent crime.
The rest of the list of suspects can be found in the Breitbart report. United States Attorney Leah Foley said that the charges brought against these individuals are only the start of a much broader and widespread anti-fraud effort by her office to find individuals who are abusing the country’s benefits programs and hold them accountable for their actions.
“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,” Foley went on to say. “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.”
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Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin gave further details about the fate of the individuals involved in the scheme, saying that each one of the illegal aliens who were busted for fraud will be booted out of the United States as soon as they serve their prison sentences, should they be found guilty by a jury.
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