Federal authorities in Massachusetts arrested 15 people, including 11 suspected undocumented immigrants, accused of fraudulently obtaining more than $1.4 million in taxpayer-funded benefits.
The defendants are accused of illegally accessing programs including food assistance, Medicaid, disability payments, housing support and unemployment benefits, according to the Department of Justice announcement this week.
JUST IN: The DOJ just announced charges against 15 people — including 11 illegal aliens — for allegedly STEALING over $1.4M in taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts.
The scheme involved massive fraud in SNAP (food stamps), MassHealth (Medicaid), disability, unemployment,… pic.twitter.com/WI3oO2SDqk
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) June 18, 2026
The scheme involved using stolen identities to circumvent detection systems, federal prosecutors said at a courthouse briefing in Boston.
📢🚨 “Unchecked, unbridled and rampant fraud.”
Nearly a dozen illegal aliens among those charged in $1.4 million benefit fraud crackdown in Massachusetts.
READ MORE: https://t.co/6akZWVzVlx pic.twitter.com/vSI3aqODLq
— U.S. Attorney Massachusetts (@DMAnews1) June 18, 2026
The Charges
Prosecutors allege the group fraudulently obtained benefits across multiple state programs over an extended period. “Alarmingly, 11 of the 15 charged defendants are suspected illegal aliens, some of whom assumed stolen identities to steal these taxpayer-funded benefits and avoid detection,” Colin McDonald, First Assistant Attorney General for the National Fraud Enforcement Division, said in a statement.
The charges represent part of a broader enforcement effort targeting welfare fraud. Federal investigators cited the complexity of identifying fraudulent claims across overlapping government assistance programs.
What Comes Next
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley indicated the investigation extends beyond the initial arrests. “We have dozens and dozens of fraud cases in the pipeline and numerous ongoing investigations involving systemic large-scale fraud schemes,” Foley said during the briefing.
The case reflects increased scrutiny of benefit program administration and eligibility verification procedures at both state and federal levels.
This story has been updated. CNN’s reporting team contributed to this report.
