Manuel Maria German Familia, Identity Theft, Massachusetts 2023

BOSTON – A shocking case of identity theft has come to light in Massachusetts as Manuel Maria German Familia, a 30-year-old Dominican national, pleaded guilty to fraudulently using another person’s Social Security number.

According to court documents, Familia, who previously resided in Lawrence, admitted to misusing a Social Security number that was assigned to someone else in an application at the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles in 2016.

The defendant was arrested and charged on February 9, 2021, and has been awaiting sentencing. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris has scheduled sentencing for September 30, 2021.

The charge of false representation of a Social Security number carries a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to 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.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security’s Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized field investigative group comprised of personnel from various local, state, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Joshua McCallister, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Billerica Police Department and Lawrence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III, of Mendell’s Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case.

The case highlights the importance of vigilance in protecting sensitive personal information. Identity theft can have severe consequences, including financial loss and damage to one’s credit score.

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