Serial Fraudster Silva Sentenced to 84 Months

CONCORD – In a devastating blow to a mastermind of deceit, a Hampton man has been sentenced to 84 months in prison for orchestrating multiple fraud schemes that bilked over $2 million from unsuspecting victims.

Anthony Silva, 39, of Hampton, pleaded guilty on February 15, 2024, to three counts of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announced the sentence, which also includes three years of supervised release. Silva was ordered to pay restitution and forfeit funds held at various banks, totaling approximately $830,000.

“The defendant is a serial fraudster who used dozens of stolen identities to enrich himself,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “He did not merely steal funds from state and federal governments. Rather, he fleeced pools of funds which were designed specifically to serve as a lifeline to millions of Americans during the worst public health crisis in a century.”

The brazen schemes orchestrated by Silva targeted state and federal government programs, including the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance and the Vermont Department of Labor. Using stolen identities, Silva obtained unemployment insurance benefits, American Express credit cards, and CARES Act funds, which were then deposited into numerous accounts he controlled at multiple banks.

According to authorities, Silva obtained more than $450,000 from Vermont, over $175,000 from Massachusetts, and $600,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The fraudulently-obtained credit cards were used to make over $50,000 in purchases from retailers such as Victoria’s Secret, Home Depot, and Walmart.

“Today’s sentence makes it clear that defrauding the government is a bad idea, and the FBI and our partners will continue to pursue anyone bold enough, and foolish enough, to do so,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “We will aggressively investigate and seek prosecution of individuals like Anthony Silva, who swindled over a million dollars from funds that were designated to support fellow Americans and small businesses during the pandemic.”