A brazen scheme involving stolen identities and millions in fraudulent benefits has been uncovered, revealing a network of individuals exploiting vital assistance programs. Four people allegedly orchestrated the operation, pilfering the personal information of 115 victims – including six children – to amass over $1 million in illicit gains.
The Justice Department revealed the suspects targeted individuals nationwide, stealing their identities to fraudulently obtain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. They also illegally claimed Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) from multiple states, including New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Washington, and Nevada.
At the center of the alleged conspiracy are Joel Vicioso Fernandez, 42, and Raul Fernandez Vicioso, 37, both from Fitchburg, Massachusetts, alongside Venezuelan nationals Roman Vequiz Fernandez, 32, and Coralba Albarracin Siniva, 24, residing in Leominster, Massachusetts. Their method was shockingly broad, utilizing the stolen identities of 24 “households” in SNAP applications.
Investigators discovered a pattern of deception, with applications listing over 100 individuals as residents of just two single-family apartments in Providence, Rhode Island. Raul and Joel Vicioso Fernandez allegedly intertwined their own personal information with the stolen identities, creating a complex web of fraudulent accounts.
The investigation took a peculiar turn with the discovery of counterfeit passport images. Metadata revealed these images were taken at or near El Primo Restaurant, a business owned and operated by Raul Fernandez Vicioso in Leominster, Massachusetts – a key location in the unfolding fraud.
The fraudulently obtained SNAP benefits weren’t used for personal sustenance, but to fuel the restaurant’s operations. Authorities found the benefits were used to purchase large quantities of meat, including chicken, beef, and pork, from local wholesalers, directly stocking El Primo Restaurant’s kitchen.
The scheme’s profitability was complete and calculated. The restaurant prepared and sold menu items using supplies acquired through fraud, then wired the illicit profits to individuals in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. This created a direct financial pipeline out of the country.
Beyond SNAP fraud, the group allegedly collected $700,000 through fraudulent PUA applications between April 2020 and December 2021. These applications consistently listed El Primo Restaurant as the residential address for all claimants, further solidifying the restaurant’s central role.
Approximately $276,021 in fraudulent PUA benefits were deposited into bank accounts linked to the restaurant, Raul Fernandez Vicioso, Joel Vicioso Fernandez, and other individuals involved in the conspiracy. The scale of the financial manipulation is staggering.
Searches of Raul Fernandez Vicioso’s home and El Primo Restaurant yielded a trove of incriminating evidence. Investigators recovered fraudulently obtained EBT cards, false documents, detailed ledgers, and handwritten lists containing the information of over 100 victims, alongside SNAP-related mailings.
All four defendants face charges of conspiracy to use, transfer, acquire, and possess SNAP benefits. Raul Fernandez Vicioso faces additional charges including conspiracy to commit SNAP fraud, wire fraud, aiding and abetting, and money laundering, reflecting his alleged central role in the operation.
The case highlights a disturbing trend of exploiting government assistance programs for personal gain, leaving a trail of stolen identities and financial devastation in its wake. The investigation continues, promising further revelations about the extent of this elaborate fraud.
