Ramon Hiciano, Social Security Misuse, Massachusetts 2021

BOSTON – In a brazen scheme, 59-year-old Ramon Hiciano, a Dominican national, has pleaded guilty to misusing another individual’s Social Security number to receive housing and unemployment benefits.

Between January 2016 and August 2020, Hiciano used the identity of a Puerto Rican citizen to apply for and receive MassHealth benefits and Section 8 housing assistance. He fraudulently received over $58,000 in federally-funded MassHealth benefits and approximately $20,780 in Section 8 housing assistance benefits over the four-year period. He also used the stolen identity to receive $5,736 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits.

Hiciano, formerly of Roxbury, pleaded guilty to false representation of a Social Security number and theft of government money. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Oct. 7, 2021.

The charge of false representation of a Social Security number 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 theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater.

Ramon Hiciano’s actions are a slap in the face to the very system he sought to exploit. His crimes have cost taxpayers dearly, and it’s only right that he faces the full weight of the law.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell, Jermaine Jack, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Boston Field Office, Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Regional Office, and Suzanne M. Bump, State Auditor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

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