BOSTON – Wagner Sozi, 33, of Malden, Massachusetts, has confessed to a brazen scheme involving stolen identities and fraudulent claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) – the federal lifeline thrown to those impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Sozi pleaded guilty today, facing a potentially lengthy prison sentence for exploiting a system designed to help those in need.
According to federal prosecutors, Sozi engaged in a complex network of fraud, utilizing stolen personal information to open credit accounts, make lavish purchases, and ultimately, pilfer funds from the PUA program. The source of this stolen data? A Cambridge realty company, where Sozi resided with an employee, and where files brimming with sensitive client information were readily accessible. Victims included those who had simply applied to rent apartments.
The scope of Sozi’s greed was staggering. He and a female accomplice allegedly racked up purchases at an office supply retailer using fake identities and prepaid Visa gift cards. He wasn’t stopping at gift cards; Sozi splurged on a Rolex watch exceeding $15,000, purchased with another victim’s stolen identity. He even went so far as to possess a forged Maine driver’s license, complete with his photograph but bearing the name of someone he’d robbed, used to open a bank account and fund a shopping spree at an Apple Store.
Law enforcement caught a break on June 25, 2020, when Sozi was arrested. A search of his apartment revealed a PUA debit card belonging to yet another victim. Further investigation exposed a second fraudulent PUA claim filed under Sozi’s own name, but with a stolen Social Security number – a clear attempt to further muddy the waters and evade detection. The U.S. Secret Service, along with the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, led the investigation, with significant assistance from multiple state and local police departments.
Sozi now faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the two counts of wire fraud, a mandatory consecutive two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft, and up to three years for making a false claim. The total potential sentence could exceed 25 years, along with substantial fines. U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. has scheduled sentencing for September 22, 2021. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely, Chief of the Major Crimes Unit.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell, Frederick J. Regan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office, and Nick Splagounias, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, all issued statements emphasizing the commitment to prosecuting those who exploit crises for personal gain. This case serves as a stark reminder that those who prey on vulnerable systems will be held accountable.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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