A Bradenton woman who admitted to a long-running identity-and-benefits fraud is headed to federal prison, after a judge said her scheme siphoned off nearly $185,000 in government money.
U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland sentenced 69-year-old Rosario Alaniz to 15 months in federal prison on March 17, 2026, and ordered her to pay $184,904.75 in restitution, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida. Prosecutors said Alaniz pleaded guilty in December 2025, admitting she used a fraudulently obtained U.S. passport to collect Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and Social Security disability payments. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the final judgment.
How the scheme unfolded
Court records state that Alaniz failed to report her actual employment, which prosecutors say allowed her to receive public benefits she was not entitled to, or to collect larger amounts than she should have. The fraud touched multiple federal assistance programs and cost taxpayers nearly $185,000, as reported by the Tampa Free Press.
Investigators and next steps…