U.S. Department of Labor OIG, "John Doe" Charged in Superseding Indictment with Identity Theft and Fraud Related to COVID-19 Pandemic (USAO D-MA 05/03/2021) (2021-05-05)
Summary
A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts, dated Monday, May 3, 2021, announcing that a Charlestown man referred to as "John Doe", whose identity is unknown, was charged in a superseding indictment with three counts of wire fraud, one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of aggravated identity theft. The original indictment charged Doe with one count of making a false statement in a passport application. As alleged in the superseding indictment, Doe received Massachusetts unemployment benefits totaling over $15,000 using the name and personally identifiable information of a resident of Puerto Rico. The indictment also alleges that Doe used that victim's Social Security number on an application for a duplicate driver's license.
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“U.S. Department of Labor OIG, ‘John Doe’ Charged in Superseding Indictment with Identity Theft and Fraud Related to COVID-19 Pandemic (USAO D-MA 05/03/2021) (2021-05-05).”
Original at www.oig.dol.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/u-s-department-of-labor-oig-john-doe-charged-in-superseding-indictment-ea1ad22960/
, SHA-256 2effef101c74245d077c0a5ddd92c686cc7acdf46b46acbea990d4d94d61312f.Full text
Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Massachusetts
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, May 3, 2021
"John Doe" Charged in Superseding Indictment with
Identity Theft and Fraud Related to COVID-19 Pandemic
BOSTON – A Charlestown man whose identity is unknown was charged last week in connection with
an alleged scheme to fraudulently claim COVID-19-related unemployment assistance and commit
other frauds, all in connection with his use of a stolen identity.
An individual referred to as “John Doe”, was charged in a superseding indictment with three counts
of wire fraud, one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of
aggravated identity theft. The original indictment charged Doe with one count of making a false
statement in a passport application.
As alleged in the superseding indictment, Doe applied for and received Massachusetts
unemployment benefits totaling over $15,000 using the name and personally identifiable
information of a resident of Puerto Rico. Doe allegedly requested that the benefits be paid to a
prepaid debit card, which he used for cash withdrawals at ATM machines and for the purchase of
goods and services.
The indictment also alleges that Doe used the Social Security number of the Puerto Rican victim on
an application for a duplicate driver’s license Doe submitted to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor
Vehicles in 2017.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of
supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of passport fraud provides for a sentence
of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The
charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years
in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated
identity theft provides for two years in prison to be served consecutive to the term for the underlying
felony, which in this case is the false representation of a Social Security number. Sentences are
imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other
statutory factors.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service
together with Homeland Security’s Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force
(DBFTF), a specialized field investigative group comprised of personnel from various local, state, and
federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals
involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Matthew F. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of
the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent
in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Mikulka Michael, Special Agent in
Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Labor
Racketeering and Fraud made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James D. Herbert
of Mendell’s Health Care Fraud Unit and Alathea Porter of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money
Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be
innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Topic(s): Component(s):
Coronavirus USAO - Massachusetts
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- Original
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