The thing that supposedly never happens happened again. An illegal alien living in New Hampshire took over $300,000 in taxpayer benefits after stealing someone's identity.
A Dominican man unlawfully residing in Salem, N.H., pleaded guilty on Friday to stealing the identity of an American citizen from Puerto Rico to obtain a U.S. Passport as well as federally funded benefits from Massachusetts.
Juan Felipe Chalas, 58, pleaded guilty to making a false statement in a passport application and unlawfully obtaining Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits.
U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Sept. 8, 2026.
A Dominican man unlawfully residing in Salem, N.H., pleaded guilty to stealing the identity of an American citizen from Puerto Rico to obtain a U.S. Passport used to steal over $300,000 in SNAP, Social Security and MassHealth benefits from Massachusetts.
— Fall River Reporter (@FallRiverReport) May 23, 2026
The defendant was one of nine charged earlier this year as part of a benefit fraud crackdown. He remains in federal custody pending sentencing.
Pursuant to a plea agreement which calls for Chalas to serve one year of incarceration and two years of supervised release, Chalas also agreed to pay restitution of $12,584 to the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance for fraudulently obtaining SNAP benefits, $25,491 to the Social Security Administration for fraudulently obtaining disability benefits and $266,857 for fraudulently obtaining MassHealth benefits.
As far back as 1996, Chalas, a Dominican national who had never been admitted or inspected by immigration authorities, assumed the identity of an American citizen from Puerto Rico. Using the victim’s identity, Chalas obtained United States passports in 1998, 2010 and 2023 as well as various Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles identifications using the name and other information of an American citizen from Puerto Rico.
The SNAP program helps feed about 41 million people nationwide but is stuffed with fraud, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
About 29 states have shared SNAP data with the federal government to expose fraud, but 23 states, including Massachusetts, refused to share that data.
🚨SNAP FRAUD: The Department of Agriculture is reporting that in ONE STATE, they found that SNAP recipients own more than 14,000 luxury cars.
— TPUSA Rapid Response (@TPUSARapidRep) April 30, 2026
"That includes 3 Ferraris, 11 Lamborghinis, 59 Maseratis, 141 Porsches, and more than 2,000 Teslas."
"Secretary Brooke Rollins says… pic.twitter.com/QN0fhgyOdF
The era of unchecked fraud against the American taxpayer is over. I’m proud to serve as Executive Director of the @WHFraudTF led by @VP Vance and @AfergusonFTC. As a former Trump United States Attorney, I’m continuing the fight against criminals who exploit our nation. My promise…
— Scott Brady (@ScottBradyPA) May 23, 2026
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region; Nathan Hebert, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady, Deputy Chief of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
