A Dominican national living unlawfully in Brockton, Massachusetts, was arrested and charged with healthcare benefit fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to an announcement on April 20 by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.
Amaurys Arias Arias, age 44, faces one count of making false statements related to health care matters and one count of aggravated identity theft. After his arrest, Arias appeared in federal court in Boston and was ordered detained until a hearing scheduled for April 23.
Charging documents allege that Arias used a stolen U.S. citizen’s identity to apply for government benefits. He is accused of falsely claiming citizenship when seeking healthcare benefits from MassHealth and submitting a sworn affidavit supporting this claim. Authorities say these actions led to him receiving tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of benefits under another person’s name. It is also alleged that he used the stolen identity during prior arrests, resulting in convictions under the victim’s name.
The charge involving false statements carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, supervised release for one year, and a $250,000 fine. The aggravated identity theft charge requires a mandatory two-year sentence consecutive to any other penalty imposed. Sentences are determined by federal judges following sentencing guidelines.
On March 26, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the formation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team as part of efforts to address increasing fraud cases across Massachusetts. This team is led by two senior prosecutors who focus on investigating misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits statewide.
The Department of Justice created the National Fraud Enforcement Division on April 7 to investigate those who steal or misuse public funds—a move that supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance.
Leah B. Foley said: “The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.” Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud at 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts advances community initiatives on civil rights and violence prevention according to its official website. The office maintains facilities at Boston’s John Joseph Moakley United States Federal Courthouse as well as branch offices in Springfield and Worcester according to its official website. It serves all residents across Massachusetts according to its official website while enforcing federal laws through prosecutions involving national security threats or civil rights violations according to its official website. As part of the Department of Justice according to its official website, it employs over 200 attorneys, paralegals, and professional staff members according to its official website.
The office handles both criminal prosecutions and civil litigation for federal cases throughout Massachusetts with roots dating back as one of the earliest such entities established nationally since 1789 according to its official website.
