Allan Arzu Matamoros-Banegas, a 31-year-old Honduran national, pleaded guilty today to illegally using a Social Security number to secure employment in the Eastern District of Louisiana. The charge, filed under Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B), carries a maximum prison sentence of five years, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, Matamoros-Banegas knowingly and with intent to deceive, falsely claimed that a Social Security number had been lawfully assigned to him by the Commissioner of Social Security. In reality, he knew the number was not issued to him—a calculated lie designed to bypass employment verification systems and land work in the U.S.
The fraud was uncovered during a federal investigation led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Agents traced the misuse of the Social Security number to Matamoros-Banegas, whose unauthorized use of the identifier enabled him to work under false pretenses. His actions violated federal law intended to protect the integrity of government-issued identification.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans, who announced the guilty plea, credited Homeland Security’s investigative rigor in exposing the scheme. “Fraudulent use of a Social Security number isn’t a victimless shortcut,” Evans said. “It undermines our immigration and employment systems and opens the door to broader criminal activity.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Sentencing is scheduled for May 17, 2018, in federal court. At that time, Matamoros-Banegas will face the full weight of the federal sentencing guidelines for identity and document fraud.
This conviction underscores ongoing federal efforts to crack down on identity fraud tied to unauthorized employment. Authorities continue to target individuals who exploit Social Security numbers to live and work illegally in the United States, treating such acts not as minor infractions but as serious federal crimes.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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