Richard Diaz-Montero, Theft of Government Funds and Misuse of a Social Security Number, Massachusetts 2023

BOSTON – In a brazen case of identity theft, Richard Diaz-Montero, 44, of Oxford, used another individual’s name and Social Security number to fraudulently obtain a federal tax refund and a Massachusetts driver’s license.

The scheme began in 2016 when Diaz-Montero filed a fraudulent tax return in the name of another person, and in March 2016, cashed a federal income tax refund fraudulently issued in the other individual’s name.

Two years later, in May 2018, Diaz-Montero used the Social Security number of that same person to apply for and obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license.

On February 2, 2023, Diaz-Montero pleaded guilty to false representation of a Social Security number and theft of government funds in federal court in Worcester.

U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for March 1, 2023. Diaz-Montero was charged in August 2020.

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. The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years, 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 statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Sutton Police Chief Dennis J. Towle made the announcement.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/oxford-man-pleads-guilty-theft-government-funds-and-misuse-social-security-number