A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty in federal court in Worcester Wednesday to defrauding Massachusetts and Rhode Island of a combined $1.1 million worth of federal food assistance for low-income residents and pandemic unemployment benefits, prosecutors said.
Raul Fernandez Vicioso, 37, of Fitchburg, used stolen identities of low-income people to obtain $440,000 from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which he used to buy food for his former restaurant, according to US Attorney Leah B. Foley’s office.
Fernandez Vicioso, who formerly ownedEl Primo Restaurant in Leominster, and three alleged associates also fraudulently obtained over $700,000 in pandemic unemployment funds from Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Washington, and Nevada, Foley’s office said in a statement.
Fernandez Vicioso and three alleged associates also fraudulently obtained over $700,000 in pandemic unemployment funds from Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Washington, and Nevada, the statement said.
Fernandez Vicioso, who was charged in February, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit SNAP fraud and wire fraud, SNAP benefit fraud, and money laundering.
He is scheduled to be sentenced in July.
Three others have been charged for their alleged roles in the scheme: Joel Vicioso Fernandez, 42, of Fitchburg; and Roman Vequiz Fernandez, 32, and Coralba Albarracin Siniva, 24, who are both Venezuelan nationals living in Leominster.
The four allegedly purchased and used the stolen personal information of more than 100 people from multiple states to fraudulently obtain SNAP benefits, prosecutors said.
The stolen identities were used to create 24 “households” in applications for the benefits, which were all listed as living in two-single family apartments in Providence, R.I., prosecutors said.
Fernandez Vicioso used his own personal information to make fraudulent SNAP benefits accounts, which were blended with the stolen identities in the applications, prosecutors said.
The group allegedly provided images of counterfeit passports and passport cards to support the applications. The metadata indicated the images were taken inside or nearby El Primo Restaurant.
Fernandez Vicioso and others allegedly used the fraudulent SNAP benefit cards to purchase large quantities of bulk food items, including packages of chicken, beef, and pork, at stores to stock El Primo Restaurant.
They did so “at no expense,” Foley’s office said.
The group then “sold menu items at El Primo Restaurant at a complete profit, later wiring the fraud proceeds to individuals living in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, among other places,” prosecutors said.
Between April 2020 and December 2021, Fernandez Vicioso and others further enriched themselves by submitting fraudulent applications and supporting documents for pandemic unemployment assistance in multiple states, prosecutors said.
The benefits were issued in the name of Fernandez Vicioso and allegedly Vicioso Fernandez, as well as the names of suspected identity theft victims, prosecutors said.
All of the applications listed the address for El Primo Restaurant as the residential address, prosecutors said.
During searches of Fernandez Vicioso’s residence and El Primo Restaurant, investigators recovered fraudulently obtained Massachusetts and Rhode Island EBT cards, fraudulent documents with a Providence address involved in the alleged scheme, and other incriminating materials.
Fernandez Vicioso is facing up to five years in prison for conspiracy to commit SNAP fraud; 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud; five years in prison for fraudulently obtaining SNAP benefits; and 20 years in prison for money laundering.
Shannon Larson can be reached at shannon.larson@globe.com. Follow her @shannonlarson98.
