A nationwide welfare fraud crackdown reached Massachusetts this week, as federal authorities announced the arrests of 15 people — 11 of them illegal immigrants — accused of stealing more than $1.4 million in American taxpayer-funded benefits.The defendants are accused of fraudulently obtaining benefits through programs including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance, MassHealth, Social Security disability payments, housing assistance and unemployment benefits, according to the Department of Justice."Alarmingly, 11 of the 15 charged defendants are suspected illegal aliens, some of whom assumed stolen identities to steal these taxpayer-funded benefits and avoid detection," Acting Assistant Attorney General Colin MacDonald said during a Thursday press conference in Boston.Officials said one defendant, Heriberto Rodriguez of Framingham, Massachusetts, is accused of carrying out more than $546,000 in benefit fraud involving MassHealth, Social Security, housing assistance and SNAP benefits.Several other suspects allegedly obtained tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayer-funded assistance through false statements, identity theft and other fraud schemes.STOLEN IDS SOLD FOR ‘HAPPY MEAL’ PRICES FUEL BILLIONS IN US BENEFIT FRAUDActing Assistant Attorney General Colin MacDonald during a press conference as U.S.
Attorney Leah Foley, right, listens in Boston on Thursday, June 18, 2026.(Fox News)MacDonald argued the alleged crimes did more than drain public coffers, saying some Americans were effectively locked out of programs intended to help them because their identities had already been used by fraudsters."In some cases, the victims of these crimes, the rightful beneficiaries of these funds, could not access benefits they needed," MacDonald said.
"American citizens were boxed out of these programs because illegal aliens took their names to then take their money."Officials said the arrests are "just the beginning of our work" as the nationwi...