Dominican National Sentenced For Social Security Fraud

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts:

BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Lynn was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for Social Security fraud.

Kelvin Bautista Valdez, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 12 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Bautista Valdez will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In February 2019, Bautista Valdez pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number. Bautista Valdez was arrested and charged in a July 2018 federal law enforcement sweep of 25 individuals accused of document and benefit fraud.

Dubbed “Double Trouble,” the July 2018 investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), comprised of local, state and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes. 

On Jan. 20, 2015, Bautista Valdez, applied for a Massachusetts Driver’s License using the name and Social Security number of a U.S citizen from Puerto Rico. He presented a Puerto Rican birth certificate and a Social Security card in the other person’s name to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles as proof of his identity. Based on the application and supporting identity documents, Bautista Valdez was issued a driver’s license in the name of the U.S. citizen.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Phillip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office; Michael Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations; William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Massachusetts State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Lynn was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for Social Security fraud.

Kelvin Bautista Valdez, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 12 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Bautista Valdez will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In February 2019, Bautista Valdez pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number. Bautista Valdez was arrested and charged in a July 2018 federal law enforcement sweep of 25 individuals accused of document and benefit fraud.

Dubbed “Double Trouble,” the July 2018 investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), comprised of local, state and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes. 

On Jan. 20, 2015, Bautista Valdez, applied for a Massachusetts Driver’s License using the name and Social Security number of a U.S citizen from Puerto Rico. He presented a Puerto Rican birth certificate and a Social Security card in the other person’s name to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles as proof of his identity. Based on the application and supporting identity documents, Bautista Valdez was issued a driver’s license in the name of the U.S. citizen.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Phillip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office; Michael Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations; William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Massachusetts State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.