Central Mass. restaurant owner pleads guilty to SNAP fraud
A Central Massachusetts restaurant owner pleaded guilty to charges of fraudulently obtaining more than $1 million in government benefits.
Raul Fernandez Vicioso, a 37-year-old Fitchburg resident, used more than 100 stolen identities to illegally acquire Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office .
Vicioso, who was the lead defendant in the case, pleaded guilty on Wednesday.
Vicioso's brother, 42-year-old Joel Vicioso Fernandez, was named as a co-conspirator, as were Leominster residents Roman Vequiz Fernandez, 32, and Coralba Albarracin Siniva, 24.
Vicioso, who owns the El Primo Restaurant in Leominster, used EBT debit cards distributed by the SNAP program to make bulk food purchases to stock his restaurant, according to prosecutors.
The men were able to obtain $440,000 in SNAP benefits from Massachusetts and Rhode Island, as well as more than $700,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits from Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington.
The 115 stolen identities were registered to just two addresses in Rhode Island, which is what eventually drew the attention of investigators, prosecutors said. When investigators searched Vicioso's residence and the restaurant, they found Massachusetts and Rhode Island EBT cards, as well as documents containing a Providence address that was involved in the scheme.
The four men were arrested in February.
Vicioso pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit SNAP fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of illegal acquisition or use of SNAP benefits and one count of money laundering. The wire fraud and money laundering charges can each carry sentences of up to 20 years in prison.
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