Category: MIL-OSI

Posted on

Pasco County Man Indicted for Attempting to Meet a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity and Produce Child Sexual Abuse Material

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Ocala, Florida – Michael Joseph Vitoff (50, Zephyrhills) has been charged by indictment with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted production of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, on the attempted enticement offense and a minimum sentence of 15 years, up to 30 years, for the attempted production offense. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

Posted on

U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces 15 Arrests for Benefit Fraud

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

BOSTON – Fifteen individuals, 11 illegal aliens and four U.S. Citizens, have been charged and arrested for benefit fraud in Massachusetts. The defendants are charged with more than $1.4 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit fraud, MassHealth benefit fraud and disability and unemployment benefit fraud, just to name a few. 

Posted on

Defense News: Pennsylvania Guard expands drone training mission

Source: United States Army

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – The Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Training and Innovation Facility soon will undergo modernization changes that will strengthen its readiness to train Soldiers, including creating an innovation classroom, a high-tech classroom, a simulator room, a locker room and a mock urban village for training.

Plans also call for the facility to eventually have a drone racecourse and host competitions.

“We are building this facility out so that everybody is going to get a better level of education,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Nathan Shea, the facility’s officer in charge. “We truly are trying to embrace building smarter Soldiers for the future Army. In addition, we’re giving them the tools and training them how to use those tools. The more tools we can put in their back pocket as they move forward, the more ready they’re going to be for future fights.”

The facility has been a beehive of activity over the last few months. On Feb. 19, a team of Soldiers from the facility won the innovation competition at the U.S. Army’s inaugural Best Drone Warfighter Competition in Alabama. Since then, activity at the facility has “exploded,” Shea said.

“We’re going through a massive amount of changes,” said Shea, who is assigned to M Company, 56th Mobile Brigade Combat Team. “This facility has become a massive hub for training, and our lab space has never been busier.”

Since the Best Drone Warfighter Competition, the UAS Training and Innovation Facility has been designated as a training site for the 15X military occupational specialty transition course and as the primary training site for drones selected in the Department of War’s Drone Gauntlet competition.

As a result of these additional programs, construction is underway on upgrades to the facility, and the number of full-time employees has increased from six to 16.

“We’ve had a lot of new people come in, a lot of building changes and a lot of equipment changes,” said Sgt. 1st Class Brent Wehr, course manager for the 15X MOS transition course. “There’s been a lot of big changes here.”

A ‘heavy lift’

The UAS facility was established in 2007. Initially, it was home to 28th Infantry Division units that used the RQ-7 Shadow, a fixed-wing UAS with a 20-foot wingspan, designed for surveillance, reconnaissance and target acquisition.

The Army stopped using Shadows in January 2024, and Soldiers at the facility then began experimenting with small, first-person view, or FPV, drones as they awaited a new mission. New missions arrived this year in the form of the 15X MOS-T course and the Drone Gauntlet training program.

Pennsylvania was selected to be one of two states, along with Mississippi, to host the 15X MOS-T course for the reserve component. The course is part of the effort to merge two MOSs, 15W (Shadow UAS operator) and 15E (UAS maintainer), Shea said.

“The idea moving forward is an operator and a maintainer will be the same thing, and that’s where we get the 15X,” Shea said.

The first class is expected to begin in October, and Shea expects six classes per year to be conducted at the UASTIF.

The Drone Gauntlet competition, meanwhile, is part of the Department of War’s “Drone Dominance” guidance issued in 2025. Through the program, the Unmanned Aircraft System Training and Innovation Facility, or UASTIF, will receive eight drones that are selected during the Drone Gauntlet, and Soldiers at the facility will receive training on the drones from their manufacturers.

The Soldiers will then train Soldiers from active- and reserve-component Army units selected to receive the drones.

The UASTIF was selected for this program because of its close relationship with Tobyhanna Army Depot in northeast Pennsylvania and Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, as well as the work the facility was already doing in the drone space, Shea said.

“We get the new equipment training from the vendor, and then our job is to train all of active duty as well as some National Guard that have been selected for it,” Shea said. “It’s quite the heavy lift as we go through this.”

Upgrades on the horizon

With the new programs, significant changes are coming to the facility. A maintenance area that was previously converted into an innovation lab will be expanded to become an innovation classroom. The lab currently has several soldering stations and three 3D printers, with two more printers on the way.

“It’s a space where we can instruct in soldering skills, printing skills, everything like that,” Shea said. “It’s designed to be lab space for Soldiers to receive instruction and give our own people the space to work, tear apart systems, repair systems and everything else along those lines.”

The 3D printers are used to prototype drone parts or to print repair parts that may have broken on an existing drone.

Elsewhere in the facility, a high-tech classroom, a simulator room and a locker room are being added, as well as office space for the facility’s full-time personnel.

In addition to changes inside the UASTIF, several upgrades are underway outside. The facility has had an indoor drone obstacle course for about a year and recently built an outdoor course. They are both made primarily from construction materials such as lumber and PVC pipe. The indoor course is where Soldiers first start learning to fly drones, and the outdoor obstacle course was designed to mimic flying through windows and doors in an urban setting, Shea said.

In the coming weeks, a mock urban village made from shipping containers will be moved from elsewhere on Fort Indiantown Gap’s grounds to the facility’s grounds to create a UAS-specific urban operations site. Eventually, Shea said, the facility will have a drone racecourse and host competitions.

An exciting time

Wehr, who has worked at the UASTIF for six years and has been involved in UAS operations for his entire 12-year military career, said it’s an exciting time to be at the facility.

“Shadow was fun back in the day,” said Wehr, who is assigned to M Company, 56th Mobile Brigade Combat Team. “It was a more standard schedule, but with all these changes it’s definitely more exciting and more hands-on than it used to be.”

Today’s UAS operators have to know more than just how to fly one; they need to be able to fix them as well, Wehr said. The UASTIF will help Soldiers learn to do both.

“I think it’s a great facility,” Wehr said. “It’s a perfect place to learn how to fly and how to fix drones.”

The UASTIF was already a great facility, Shea said, and with all the changes coming, it’s going to be even more technologically advanced. He noted that six months ago the facility didn’t have any 3D printers or soldering stations, and its classroom space was limited.

Related Links

The Official Website of the National Guard | NationalGuard.mil

State Partnership Program | NationalGuard.mil

The National Guard on Facebook | Facebook.com/TheNationalGuard

The National Guard on Flickr | Flickr.com/TheNationalGuard

The National Guard on Instagram | Instagram.com/us.nationalguard

The National Guard on X | X.com/USNationalGuard

The National Guard on YouTube | YouTube.com/TheNationalGuard

Posted on

Alabama Defense Contractor Agrees to Pay $507,144 to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Relating to Cybersecurity Violations

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Defense contractor LOGZONE Inc. of Huntsville, Alabama has agreed to pay $507,144 to resolve its liability under the False Claims Act for knowingly failing to comply with cybersecurity requirements in contracts with the Department of the Navy.

“Government contractors that obtain sensitive defense information in administering their contracts must follow required cybersecurity standards,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to investigate potential violations of these cybersecurity requirements in order to protect this critical information from external threats.”

“The protection of sensitive defense information by government contractors is critical to national security,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. for the Northern District of Alabama. “Adherence to the cybersecurity provisions of contracts with the federal government must be a priority for all contractors, and this enforcement action should serve as a reminder of that.”

“The cybersecurity provisions of federal contracts are critical to protecting sensitive information that may be transmitted in carrying out the mission of the contracts,” said Navy Vice Admiral Stephen Tedford, Director of the Defense Contract Management Agency. “DCMA will continue to ensure that contractors are fulfilling these obligations.”

The settlement resolves allegations under the False Claims Act that LOGZONE knowingly submitted false or fraudulent claims for payment on two Navy contracts for which LOGZONE had not complied with the contracts’ cybersecurity requirements. From May 2021 to March 2025, LOGZONE allegedly failed to implement certain cybersecurity controls in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-171 that, if not implemented, could lead to significant exploitation of the system or exfiltration of sensitive defense information. These issues were identified when the Defense Contract Management Agency assessed LOGZONE’s implementation of NIST SP 800-171 security controls, which resulted in LOGZONE receiving a score of -170, at the low end of the possible score range of -203 to 110.

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama with assistance from the Department of the Navy Office of the General Counsel, NCIS, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the Defense Contract Management Agency’s Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center.

This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.

The matter was handled by Fraud Section Trial Attorney Graham D. Welch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Long for the Northern District of Alabama.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

Posted on

Defense News: Innovation, interoperability take focus during Justified Accord 2027 planning event

Source: United States Army

Back to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

VICENZA, Italy — When U.S. Army Master Sgt. Chad Spencer was a young infantry Marine deployed overseas, he wanted something simple: a comfortable place to sleep.

It was one of the small things that mattered most after long days in the field — the kind of thing people take for granted until they don’t have it.

Years later, Spencer carries that memory with him as an Army engineer. Now, when he attends planning events for exercises like Justified Accord, he looks at the mission through the lens of taking care of the next generation of service members.

That mindset helped shape discussions during the Justified Accord 2027 Initial Planning Event that took place June 8-12, when U.S., Kenyan and Tanzanian planners gathered to refine exercise requirements and explore how innovation can improve training, operations and support for multinational forces in the field.

U.S. Army Capt. Katie A. Humphreys, Bayonet Innovation Team network lead, assigned to the 173rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), discusses unmanned training capabilities with a Czech Armed Forces service member during a Justified Accord 2027 planning conference walk-through of the BIT laboratory at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy, June 11, 2026. The visit provided partner-nation representatives an opportunity to observe emerging technologies and innovation initiatives that could enhance interoperability, readiness and multinational collaboration during future iterations of Justified Accord. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Raquel Birk) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Raquel Birk) VIEW ORIGINAL

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) hosted the planning event that gathered U.S. military and interagency planners, as well as representatives from the Dutch army, the Czech army, Kenya Defence Forces and Tanzania People’s Defence Force, to continue developing the framework for Justified Accord 2027.

Led by SETAF-AF, Justified Accord is U.S. Africa Command’s premier exercise in East Africa. The exercise focuses on strengthening multinational readiness, improving crisis-response capabilities and building interoperability among participating forces.

Kenya Defence Force Brig. Gen. Samuel Kimani participates in a small unmanned aerial system brief led by 173rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team (Airbore) Bayonet Innovation Team members during a Justified Accord 2027 planning conference walk-through of the BIT laboratory at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy, June 11, 2026. The visit provided partner-nation representatives an opportunity to observe emerging technologies and innovation initiatives that could enhance interoperability, readiness and multinational collaboration during future iterations of Justified Accord. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Raquel Birk) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Raquel Birk) VIEW ORIGINAL

“Collaboration during JA27- IPE goes far beyond event planning,” said Kenyan Brig. Gen. Samuel Kimani, the lead Kenyan planner for Justified Accord 2027. “It translates the conceptual framework established during the concept decision event into concrete, synchronized activities. This is where our practical commitment to interoperability takes root.”

Throughout the week, planners discussed exercise objectives, training locations, movement requirements, logistical support, public affairs coordination and ways to integrate technology and innovation into the exercise.

Innovation does not always mean creating something new from the ground up, according to Spencer. Sometimes, it means finding a better way to solve a familiar problem.

As an Army engineer, Spencer said that planning events provide an opportunity to look at what service members will need in the field and identify practical solutions early. That can include everything from infrastructure and life support, to how units move, communicate and sustain themselves during an exercise.

“I always think back to being a younger service member in the field,” Spencer said. “That experience is why I do what I do now to make sure troops are taken care of.”

Those discussions are especially important during an exercise like Justified Accord, where forces from multiple nations and U.S. government agencies must operate together across different locations and training environments. By identifying requirements early, planners can better support the military personnel and civilian partners who will execute the exercise on the ground.

“Through the deliberate coordination of movements, exercise locations and logistical requirements, planners ensure participants from all contributing nations can operate seamlessly as a unified force,” Kimani said. “The goal remains constant: to prepare our forces for effective and efficient crisis response by drawing on international best practices, integrating technology and innovation, and fostering mutual respect that endures long after the exercise concludes.”

The initial planning event also allowed U.S., Kenyan and Tanzanian planners to continue building relationships ahead of future planning events. Those relationships are central to the success of Justified Accord, where shared understanding and coordination are just as important as the training itself.

Kenya Defence Force Col. Patrick Toskin observes components of a small unmanned aerial system during a Justified Accord 2027 planning conference walk-through of the Bayonet Innovation Team laboratory at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy, June 11, 2026. The visit provided partner-nation representatives an opportunity to observe emerging technologies and innovation initiatives that could enhance interoperability, readiness and multinational collaboration during future iterations of Justified Accord. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Raquel Birk) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Raquel Birk) VIEW ORIGINAL

“We’re looking forward to working with our Kenyan and Tanzanian partners during Justified Accord,” said U.S. Army Col. Benjamin Roark, SETAF-AF’s G7 director. “During this initial planning event, we made great strides toward building a successful exercise. Bringing our partners and allies together here in Italy, including senior planners from the Kenya Defence Forces and Tanzania People’s Defence Force, helps ensure we are aligned early in the planning process.”

As planning continues, SETAF-AF and partner-nation planners will further refine training objectives, confirm support requirements and continue identifying ways to bring innovation into the exercise.

For Spencer, that work comes back to a simple idea: taking care of the people who will carry out the mission.

The same small details he remembers from his time in the field now inform how he approaches planning for others. Whether that means improved infrastructure, better coordination or new technology, the goal is to ensure participants have what they need to train effectively.

Justified Accord 2027 is scheduled to take place Feb. 19 to March 5, 2027, in Kenya and Tanzania.

About SETAF-AF

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.

Follow SETAF-AF on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn & DVIDS

Posted on

Defense News: NY Army Guard Command Sgt. Major Jonathan Cross, is new senior enlisted leader for 27th Infantry Brigade

Source: United States Army

WEST POINT, New York -New York Army National Guard Command Sgt. Major Jonathan Cross, a Lakeview resident, is now the top enlisted leader for more than 4,000 Soldiers of the Guard’s 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Cross assumed responsibility as new top enlisted leader during a June 14 ceremony at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

The brigade is headquartered in Syracuse and has units across New York and in Massachusetts.

The 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team has a long lineage of history dating back to World War I where the unit saw its first major action in 1918 in France as the then 27th Infantry Division. Nicknamed the “Orion Brigade” the unit’s name plays off the name of Maj. Gen. John F. O’Ryan, the 27th Division Commander in World War I.

The unit’s patch is designed with seven stars in red on a black circled background with a monogram NYD for New York Division in red. Black stands for iron, the red for blood.

“The mission of the Infantry remains clear, to close with and destroy the enemy,” said Cross. “This brigade exists for one reason, to fight and win our nation’s wars”, he added.

Cross deployed to Iraq in 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom completing his active duty obligation then subsequently joining the New York National Guard from 2005 to 2007 before transferring to the North Carolina National Guard and deploying for a second time in his career to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

This is Cross’ second position as Command Sergeant Major. He previously served as the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry Regiment senior enlisted leader.

Col. Bradley Frank, the outgoing commander of 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, presided over the ceremony and said, “you bring a well rounded foundation that will serve this brigade exceptionally well. You are known for leading from the front and getting into the mud with your Soldiers, exactly the kind of leader this formation needs.”

Frank moved out of the command position, replaced by Col. Matthew Kilgore, following the ceremony.

As brigade command sergeant major, Cross will be responsible for the readiness and training of more than 4,000 enlisted Soldiers within the 27th.

Cross, who is a Hamburg police lieutenant in civilian life, enlisted in the Army in 2002. While on active duty he served with 1st Battalion 509th, Parachute Infantry Regiment (Airborne) before leaving active duty and joining the New York Army National Guard in 2005.

In 2013, Cross transferred back to the New York National Guard serving as a Mortar Section Leader with the Alpha Troop 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry Regiment. In 2016, he reached the rank of first sergeant and served as top enlisted leader of Charlie Troop 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry Regiment.

His most recent deployment occurred in 2017 when he mobilized to Ukraine in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, assigned to the Joint Multi-National Training Group-Ukraine.

His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the NATO Medal, the Master Combat Infantryman Badge, Air Assault Badge, the Combat Aviation Badge, the Drivers and Mechanics Badge, and the Parachutist Badge.

Cross’ military education includes Airborne School, Warrior Leaders Course, Infantry Mortar Leaders Course, Basic Non-Commissioned Officers Course, Battalion Career Counselor Course, Route Reconnaissance Clearance Course, Maneuver Senior Leaders Course, Air Assault, Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leaders Course, the Cavalry Leaders Course, and the Sergeants Major Course.

He and his wife, Rachel, have two daughters, Alana and Ainslee

Posted on

Justice Department Charges 11 Illegal Aliens Among 15 in $1.4M Benefit Fraud Crackdown in Massachusetts

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

The Justice Department announced today fifteen individuals, 11 illegal aliens and four U.S. citizens, have been charged and arrested for benefit fraud in Massachusetts. The defendants are charged with more than $1.4 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit fraud, MassHealth benefit fraud and disability and unemployment benefit fraud, just to name a few.

“These cases highlight a broader, deeply troubling pattern: the exploitation of America’s safety-net by illegal aliens,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald for the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Fraud by illegal aliens carries real and substantial costs to American taxpayers and places enormous strain on our public benefits systems. The Fraud Division remains laser-focused on rooting out fraud — whether committed by illegal aliens or anyone else — and recovering money wrongfully taken from the American people.”

“These criminal illegal aliens conspired to defraud Massachusetts taxpayers of more than $1.4 million in public benefits, depriving American citizens of benefits that they needed,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “After these 12 criminal illegal aliens face justice, they will be swiftly removed from our country so they can never defraud American taxpayers again. Under President Trump, DHS is putting the American people first again.”

The following individuals have been charged over the past week. Several defendants’ names are currently unknown at this time, as they have been living under stolen identities:

  • Heriberto Rodriguez of Framingham, Mass., is charged with passport fraud, SNAP fraud, and aggravated identity theft in connection with $546,463 in total benefit fraud loss ($175,182 in MassHealth fraud; $146,944 in Social Security fraud; $185,194 in HUD fraud; and $39,000 in SNAP fraud);
  • Mirian Chalas, 33, a U.S. citizen living in Salem N.H., is charged with making false statements in connection with $266,000 in MassHealth fraud; $25,000 in Social Security Disability fraud; and $12,000 in SNAP fraud;
  • Santo Escolastico Cuello, 56, a Dominican national unlawfully living in Worcester, Mass., is charged with aggravated identity theft and making false statements relating to a health care program in connection with $162,180 in MassHealth fraud;
  • John Doe, age unknown, suspected to be in the United States illegally, 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;
  • John Doe, age unknown, suspected to be in the United States illegally living in Quincy, Mass., 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;
  • Mario Baez Romero, 45, a Dominican national unlawfully living in Somerville, Mass., is charged with aggravated identity theft and passport fraud in connection with $26,942 in SNAP fraud and $48,785 in MassHealth Baez Romero was allegedly encountered during an interdiction of a recreational vessel near Key Biscayne in Miami, Fla. in May 2026;
  • Richard Odelis Vallegas Nunez, 35, a Dominican national unlawfully living in Allston, Mass., is charged with aggravated identity theft and unlawful production of an identification document in connection with $48,865 in MassHealth fraud;
  • Miguel Diaz Matos, 54, a Dominican national living in Lynn, Mass., is charged with illegal acquisition or use of SNAP benefits, theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft in connection with $13,431 in SNAP fraud and $50,494 in MassHealth fraud;
  • John Doe, age unknown, suspected to be in the United States illegally, is charged with making false statements related to a health care program in connection with $32,717 in MassHealth fraud;
  • John Doe, age unknown, suspected to be in the United States illegally, living in Lynn, Mass., is charged with aggravated identity theft and making false statements relating to a health care program in connection with $38,776 in MassHealth fraud;
  • Mitul Patel, 40, an Indian national unlawfully living in Worcester, Mass., is charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud, in which co-conspirators staged a false armed robbery of a convenience store to allow “victims” such as Patel, to seek U Visas as victims of violent crimes;
  • Santo Tejada Sanchez, 48, a Dominican national unlawfully living in Haverhill, Mass., is charged with aggravated identity theft, theft of government funds and SNAP benefit fraud totaling $4,054;
  • Jennifer Ferran, 48, a U.S. Citizen living in Haverhill, Mass., is charged with theft of government property, Social Security fraud and furnishing false information to Social Security in connection with over $29,000 in Social Security fraud;
  • Owen Landry, a/k/a “Oski,” 24, a U.S. citizen living in Haverhill, Mass., is charged with theft of government property, Social Security fraud and furnishing false information to Social Security in connection with over $29,000 in Social Security fraud; and
  • Yahaira Diaz Gomez, 45, a Dominican national living in Mattapan, Mass., is charged with making false statements relating to a health care program in connection with $48,694 MassHealth fraud.

“Today’s announcement is just the beginning of what will be a sustained and ongoing effort to arrest and charged individuals for benefit fraud in Massachusetts. The defendants charged today, stole from a number of programs, including SNAP and MassHealth – which are designed to assist U.S. citizens in need of food and health care. They allegedly stole tens of thousands of dollars each in benefits for which they are not entitled,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley. “There isn’t any place else in the world where you can go and be handed free food, free housing, free healthcare and free monthly checks, while being in the country illegally. However, it appears that you can come to Massachusetts and steal as many benefits as you want without fear and without any accountability. This is all ending on my watch. Beginning today, we will be announcing benefit fraud charges on a rolling basis.”

“Stealing someone’s identity to rip off unemployment benefits isn’t just breaking the law — it’s stealing from every American who plays by the rules,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor. “We will continue working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, HSI’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, and our federal and state partners to hunt down these criminals and ensure they pay the price for stealing from hardworking Americans.”

“During this short surge operation, we have uncovered over $1 million of fraud — but we’re just getting started. In response to rampant fraud in Massachusetts, and with the support of our task force partners and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, we’re redoubling our efforts to root out fraud and bring these criminals to justice,” said Jeffrey Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI is making real progress identifying government benefits fraudsters, dismantling identity document dealers, and arresting those who steal from taxpayer-funded programs.”

“Medicaid enrollment fraud undermines the integrity of our health care system and inflicts real harm on the victims whose personal information is exploited and whose medical records are compromised,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.  “Every fraudulent dollar paid out through these schemes is a dollar taken from those who are truly entitled to these benefits —and we will not allow that theft to go unanswered.”

The charge of SNAP fraud of over $5,000 provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of SNAP fraud of over $100 provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of passport fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of unlawful production of an identification document provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of Social Security fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of making false statements to federal officials provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of making false statements relating to a health care program provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of furnishing false information to Social Security provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year sentence to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, one year 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 statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as Fraud Coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts.

Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).

On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald for the National Fraud Enforcement Division; Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor; Jeffrey Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations – Northeast Region; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.