⏱ 2 min read
Two Venezuelan nationals, Roman Vequiz Fernandez and Coralba Albarracin Siniva, pleaded guilty on June 12, 2026, in federal court in Worcester, Massachusetts, to using fraudulent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit cards to illegally purchase food to stock a local restaurant. The scheme, which used the stolen identities of over 100 individuals, obtained $440,000 in SNAP benefits from Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The defendants, who reside in Leominster, Massachusetts, used the fraudulent cards to buy bulk food items at wholesalers and food markets, which were then used to stock El Primo Restaurant, allowing them to sell menu items at a complete profit.
The defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly wired the fraud proceeds to individuals living in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. The case is part of a larger fraud scheme that created 24 fake households in SNAP applications, all listed as living in two single-family apartments in Providence, Rhode Island.
The guilty pleas come after the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The team, led by two senior federal prosecutors, aims to combat fraud in the state.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on September 22, 2026, by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman. They were charged in February 2026, along with Joel Vicioso Fernandez and Raul Fernandez Vicioso.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Massachusetts
- Location: MA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News