A Fitchburg man pleaded guilty in federal court in Worcester to his role in a fraud conspiracy that authorities say used more than 100 stolen identities to steal about $440,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from Massachusetts and Rhode Island, along with more than $700,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits from multiple states.
Raul Fernandez Vicioso, 37, pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to commit S.N.A.P. fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, SNAP benefit fraud, aiding and abetting, and money laundering, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. U.S. District Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for July 9th.
Prosecutors said Fernandez Vicioso and his alleged co-conspirators used stolen personal information from real people in multiple states to create 24 fraudulent S.N.A.P. “households.” All of the applications were listed as living in 2 single-family apartments in Providence, Rhode Island. Authorities said identities from Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Puerto Rico were used to fraudulently obtain S.N.A.P. benefits in Massachusetts and Rhode Island…