Hartford Man Nabbed for $652K Social Security, Unemployment, Food Stamp Scam

Ricardo Santiago, 58, of Hartford, Conn., has been charged with three counts of wire fraud in connection to a scheme to fraudulently obtain Social Security, unemployment, and Food Stamp benefits, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

A federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment against Santiago on May 1, 2024, charging him with wire fraud related to the scheme. Santiago was arrested and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on a $25,000 bond.

As alleged in the indictment, between 2002 and 2024, Santiago held jobs with numerous employers and earned income totaling more than $500,000. However, he concealed his income from federal and state government agencies by providing false identification, including a Social Security number and card belonging to another individual, and a false Social Security card.

The indictment alleges that Santiago applied for Retirement Survivors Disability Insurance (RSDI) benefits in 2002, claiming he was unable to work due to disability. As a result, he began receiving RSDI payments in September 2002, collecting over $300,000 to which he was not entitled.

Santiago also submitted an application for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in February 2017, representing that he earned no income from employment. He began receiving SNAP benefits in March 2017 and made over $17,000 in purchases with SNAP benefits to which he was not entitled.

Furthermore, in April 2020, Santiago applied for Unemployment Insurance benefits, using a Social Security number belonging to another individual, and represented that he was unemployed but available for work. He subsequently received over $35,000 in payments to which he was not entitled.

If convicted, Santiago faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count of wire fraud. U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt and that charges are only allegations.