Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Social Security Number Misuse

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts:

BOSTON - A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to Social Security fraud.

Luis Alberto Fernandez Fernandez, 28, a Dominican national residing in Salem with legal permanent resident status, was charged with one count of false representation of a Social Security number. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Feb. 27, 2019. Fernandez Fernandez was arrested in July 2018 as part of a law enforcement sweep aimed at detecting, deterring and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes. 

In September 2016, before he became a lawful permanent resident, Fernandez Fernandez applied for a Massachusetts ID card using the name, Social Security number, and date of birth of a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico. His application was denied.

The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON - A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to Social Security fraud.

Luis Alberto Fernandez Fernandez, 28, a Dominican national residing in Salem with legal permanent resident status, was charged with one count of false representation of a Social Security number. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Feb. 27, 2019. Fernandez Fernandez was arrested in July 2018 as part of a law enforcement sweep aimed at detecting, deterring and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes. 

In September 2016, before he became a lawful permanent resident, Fernandez Fernandez applied for a Massachusetts ID card using the name, Social Security number, and date of birth of a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico. His application was denied.

The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.