A nationwide welfare fraud crackdown reached Massachusetts this week, as federal authorities announced the arrests of 15 people — 11 of them illegal immigrants — accused of stealing more than $1.4 million in American taxpayer-funded benefits.
The defendants are accused of fraudulently obtaining benefits through programs that included Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance, MassHealth, Social Security disability payments, housing assistance and unemployment benefits, according to the Department of Justice.
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Officials said one defendant, Heriberto Rodriguez of Framingham, Massachusetts, is accused of carrying out more than $546,000 in benefit fraud involving MassHealth, Social Security, housing assistance and SNAP benefits. Several other suspects allegedly obtained tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayer-funded assistance through false statements, identity theft and other fraud schemes.
McDonald argued the alleged crimes did more than drain public coffers, saying some Americans were effectively locked out of programs intended to help them because their identities had already been used by fraudsters.
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According to Foley, federal prosecutors have charged more than 65 defendants in fraud-related cases since January, alleging more than $56 million in losses. Combined with previously announced cases, authorities say they have charged roughly $63 million in alleged fraud losses over the last seven months.
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The post 11 Suspected Illegal Immigrants Among 15 Arrested in $1.4M Benefits Fraud Crackdown in Massachusetts, DOJ Says appeared first on American Renaissance.
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