BOSTON — For nearly two decades, Reynold Pereyra Diaz lived a lie, stealing a U.S. citizen’s identity to slip through the cracks, cash benefits, and pose as someone he wasn’t. Now, the 39-year-old Dominican national, formerly of Taunton, is headed to federal prison after pleading guilty to federal identity and health care fraud charges.
Diaz was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to one year behind bars, followed by one year of supervised release. Upon completing his sentence, federal immigration authorities will move to deport him. Diaz admitted in court on July 29, 2021, to one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of making a false statement relating to a federal health care program.
Investigators say Diaz used the stolen identity to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license and to fraudulently apply for MassHealth benefits. He wasn’t just using a fake name—he fully assumed the life of a U.S. citizen, complete with forged documents and government-issued credentials. When federal agents raided his residence in December 2018, they found a marriage license under his real name alongside a driver’s license, birth certificate, Social Security card, and bank cards—all tied to the victim he impersonated.
The case was cracked by Homeland Security Investigations’ Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a multi-agency unit built to dismantle identity and benefit fraud rings. The DBFTF combines local, state, and federal agents with specialized skills in tracking down document forgers, benefit scammers, and identity traffickers operating in the shadows of public systems.
The takedown was a full-court press: Acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Boston; and Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of HHS-OIG, led the announcement. Support poured in from the Social Security Administration OIG, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Diplomatic Security Service, HUD OIG, Labor Department OIG, and police departments in Lynn, Lawrence, and Taunton.
Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Major Crimes Unit, the case underscores how long-running identity theft schemes can bleed public systems dry. Diaz didn’t just break the law—he exploited it, for years, under a stolen name. Now, he’ll pay the price behind bars before facing deportation.
RELATED: Pereyra Diaz Gets Year for Identity Theft & Healthcare Fraud
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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