BOSTON — A Dominican national living in Lynn pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court to Social Security fraud and identity theft, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Nelson Bolivar, 54, was arrested and charged last summer in a federal law enforcement sweep of 25 individuals accused of document and benefit fraud.
Dubbed “Double Trouble,” the investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations’ Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, 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.
In 2015, Bolivar, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, applied for a Massachusetts Identification Card using the name and Social Security number of a Puerto Rican citizen, according to the complaint.
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, Bolivar was issued an ID in the name of the Puerto Rican citizen. Bolivar also used the name and Social Security number of a Puerto Rican citizen to receive MassHealth benefits.
U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper has scheduled sentencing for June 20.
The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
