BOSTON— Federal authorities arrested 11 illegal immigrants in Massachusetts they say are tied to a massive taxpayer-funded benefit fraud scheme that exceeded $1 million.
The Justice Department announced charges against a total of 15 alleged fraudsters, which includes the 11 illegal aliens, during a press conference on Thursday in Boston. Several of the accused fraudsters are “John Does” who used stolen identities and their names remain unknown.
Colin M. McDonald, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s fraud division, said federal investigators are “still working” to determine the “true identities” of the unnamed fraudsters.
“We don’t know who they are fully, but we do know who they are not. They are not the American citizens they pretend to be, and from that initial lie the charges [announced] today allege that they gained access to the buffet of benefits generously given by the American taxpayer for needy Americans,” McDonald said.
“In some cases, the victims of these crimes, the rightful beneficiaries of these funds, could not access benefits they needed. And why? That was because their identities had been stolen and their names had been already used in the programs to steal benefits. In other words, American citizens were boxed out of these programs because illegal aliens took their names to then take their money, or more accurately your money, the American taxpayer’s money. Illegal immigration carries real and substantial costs to American taxpayers and places enormous strain on our public benefits systems. And the further we look, the more fraud we find,” he added.
🚨Justice Department CHARGES 11 ILLEGAL ALIENS Among 15 in $1.4M Benefit Fraud Crackdown in Massachusetts
“These cases highlight a broader, deeply troubling pattern: the exploitation of America’s safety-net by illegal aliens,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald.… pic.twitter.com/ZvUH6yhQA5
— National Fraud Enforcement Division (@DOJFraudDiv) June 18, 2026
Among those charged was 56-year-old Dominican national Santo Escolastico Cuello who allegedly committed aggravated identity theft and made false statements relating to a health care program in connection with $162,180 in MassHealth fraud.
One of the accused illegal immigrant John Does is charged with false representation of a Social Security number, aggravated identity theft and making false statements relating to a health care program in connection with MassHealth fraud totaling $75,000 and aggravated identity theft.
Another John Doe is charged with illegal acquisition or use of SNAP benefits, theft of government funds, and aggravated identity theft in connection with SNAP benefit fraud totaling $11,000.
Federal authorities also charged Mario Baez Romero, a 45-year-old Dominican national who was living in Somerville, Massachusetts, with aggravated identity theft and passport fraud in connection with $26,942 in SNAP fraud, and $48,785 in MassHealth fraud. He was encountered by federal authorities on a recreational boat near Key Biscayne in Miami, Florida, in May.
One of the suspects, Indian illegal immigrant Mitul Patel, 40, allegedly staged at least six false armed robberies of a convenience store to allow the alleged victims, including himself, to seek U visas for victims of violent crimes.
Another accused fraudster was previously convicted in Massachusetts on federal drug charges, officials said.
Authorities are still working to identify the John Does and have asked the government of the Dominican Republic for assistance, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said during Thursday’s presser.
Illegal immigrants have traditionally flocked to Massachusetts for the state’s generous public benefits system, including state health care programs, McDonald told The Daily Wire’s Kassy Akiva during an interview that followed the press conference.
McDonald also called out Massachusetts Democratic Governor Maura Healey, who has sparred with the Trump administration over its demands for the state to hand over data on SNAP applicants and recipients.
“Things like being transparent for the records that the state maintains because the state is responsible. Not only do they receive the money from the federal government, we give them the money. They are then responsible for the verification checks, the eligibility checks. We are asking and we have been asking for them to give us those records so that we can see and we can pressure test, just make sure that fraud’s not happening, but they refuse to give us those records,” McDonald said.
“It begs the question of what are you trying to hide,” he said.
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