Vietnamese national sentenced for using identity of deceased child to work as a firefighter in Massachusetts

BOSTON (WWLP) – A Vietnamese national who lived under the stolen identity of a deceased child for six years–using it to secure certifications and employment as a firefighter and paramedic in Massachusetts.

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Truong Nguyen, 50, of Braintree, was sentenced Tuesday to more than two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of passport fraud and aggravated identity theft. Nguyen is also subject to deportation upon completing his sentence.

Federal investigators say Nguyen assumed the identity of a boy who died in Boston in 2002 at the age of 13, and used that identity to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license, a Social Security card, and emergency medical certifications. With these credentials, he enrolled in the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy and was later hired by the Melrose Fire Department. He also previously worked for the Norwell Firefighters Union under a different alias, where he was accused of embezzling more than $46,000.

U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley called the case a serious breach of trust that undermined the integrity of national identification systems and public institutions…

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