DOJ: Lead Defendant in Multi-State SNAP and PUA Fraud Conspiracy Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison

• The scheme used over 100 stolen identities to obtain $440,000 in SNAP benefits and over $700,000 in PUA benefits.
• Fraud proceeds were used to stock El Primo Restaurant and wired to individuals in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.

Raul Fernandez Vicioso was sentenced to two years in federal prison and ordered to pay $1.1 million in restitution and forfeiture for his role in a fraud scheme involving stolen identities. The scheme obtained $440,000 in SNAP benefits from Massachusetts and Rhode Island and over $700,000 in PUA benefits from six states.

The fraudulent benefits were used to purchase bulk food items for El Primo Restaurant, which was then sold for profit. Proceeds were wired to individuals in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. The investigation recovered EBT cards, fraudulent documents, and lists of more than 100 identities.

• $440,000 SNAP benefits fraudulently obtained
• over $700,000 PUA benefits fraudulently obtained
• $276,021 fraudulent PUA benefits deposited into bank accounts

• Review SNAP and PUA applications for addresses linked to El Primo Restaurant and Providence, R.I.
• Check for commingled victim and perpetrator identities in benefit applications, especially those listing two single-family apartments in Providence.
• Monitor bulk food purchases and wire transfers from El Primo Restaurant to Venezuela and the Dominican Republic for fraud typologies.

This case highlights the risks of identity theft and benefit fraud across multiple states, with stolen identities used to obtain government funds and launder proceeds through legitimate businesses. Compliance officers must be vigilant for patterns such as commingled identities, repeated addresses, and bulk purchases tied to benefit cards. The story also underscores the importance of cross-jurisdictional cooperation and robust controls to detect and prevent fraud in public assistance programs.