11 suspected illegal immigrants among 15 arrested in $1.4M benefits fraud crackdown in Massachusetts, DOJ says

A nationwide payment fraud crackdown reached Massachusetts this week, arsenic national authorities announced the arrests of 15 radical — 11 of them amerciable immigrants — accused of stealing much than $1.4 cardinal successful American taxpayer-funded benefits.

The defendants are accused of fraudulently obtaining benefits done programs including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) nutrient assistance, MassHealth, Social Security disablement payments, lodging assistance and unemployment benefits, according to the Department of Justice.

"Alarmingly, 11 of the 15 charged defendants are suspected amerciable aliens, immoderate of whom assumed stolen identities to bargain these taxpayer-funded benefits and debar detection," Acting Assistant Attorney General Colin MacDonald said during a Thursday property league successful Boston.

Officials said 1 defendant, Heriberto Rodriguez of Framingham, Massachusetts, is accused of carrying retired much than $546,000 successful payment fraud involving MassHealth, Social Security, lodging assistance and SNAP benefits. Several different suspects allegedly obtained tens of thousands of dollars successful taxpayer-funded assistance done mendacious statements, individuality theft and different fraud schemes.

STOLEN IDS SOLD FOR ‘HAPPY MEAL’ PRICES FUEL BILLIONS IN US BENEFIT FRAUD

Acting Assistant Attorney General Colin MacDonald during a property league arsenic U.S. Attorney Leah Foley, right, listens successful Boston connected Thursday, June 18, 2026. (Fox News)

MacDonald argued the alleged crimes did much than drain nationalist coffers, saying immoderate Americans were efficaciously locked retired of programs intended to assistance them due to the fact that their identities had already been utilized by fraudsters.

"In immoderate cases, the victims of these crimes, the rightful beneficiaries of these funds, could not entree benefits they needed," MacDonald said. "American citizens were boxed retired of these programs due to the fact that amerciable aliens took their names to past instrumentality their money."

Officials said the arrests are "just the opening of our work" arsenic the nationwide fraud crackdown continues nether the Trump administration. (Cheriss May/NurPhoto via Getty Images, File)

U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said the arrests correspond lone the latest signifier of a broader national effort targeting fraud crossed Massachusetts.

MASSACHUSETTS AUDITOR TAKES TRANSPARENCY FIGHT TO HIGH COURT AFTER ALLEGED $12M FRAUD UNCOVERED

According to Foley, national prosecutors person charged much than 65 defendants successful fraud-related cases since January, alleging much than $56 cardinal successful losses. Combined with antecedently announced cases, authorities accidental they person charged astir $63 cardinal successful alleged fraud losses implicit the past 7 months.

Foley described the cases announced Thursday arsenic grounds of "unchecked, unbridled, rampant fraud" crossed the Commonwealth.

Some defendants are accused of fraudulently obtaining Social Security disablement payments, officials said. (iStock)

"There isn't immoderate spot other successful the satellite wherever you tin spell and beryllium handed escaped food, escaped housing, escaped healthcare and escaped monthly checks portion being successful the state illegally," Foley said. "However, it appears that you tin travel to Massachusetts and bargain arsenic galore benefits arsenic you privation without fearfulness and without immoderate accountability."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Federal officials said the probe was conducted with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and aggregate inspector wide offices. They vowed further arrests and charges are forthcoming arsenic investigators proceed examining payment programs for fraud.

"The further we look, the much fraud we find," MacDonald said. "And this is conscionable the opening of our work."