Hartford Man Sentenced To Prison For Stealing Government Benefits: Feds

HARTFORD, CT — A Hartford man who fraudulently collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in government benefits over more than two decades has been sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney for Connecticut David X. Sullivan announced that Ricardo Santiago, 60, of Hartford, was sentenced Monday in federal court in Hartford to 57 months (4.75 years) in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

The judge also ordered Santiago to pay $371,686 in restitution.

Monday's sentencing came months after authorities said he tried to fake the death of he and his daughter.

Prosecutors said that in September 2025, while free on bond awaiting sentencing, Santiago staged what appeared to be the drowning of himself and his daughter in the Connecticut River and attempted to flee.

Officers with the Hartford Police Department located the pair in Hartford on Sept. 20, 2025.

Santiago has been detained since that date.

As for the prior conviction, according to court documents and statements made in court, Santiago concealed employment income while collecting multiple government benefits between 2002 and 2024.

Prosecutors said Santiago worked for more than 20 employers, earning over $580,000 during that period.

To hide the income from government agencies, he provided employers with false identification, including a Social Security number and card belonging to another individual and, in at least one case, a falsified Social Security card.

In 2002, Santiago applied for Retirement Survivors Disability Insurance (RSDI) benefits through the Social Security Administration, claiming he was unable to work because of a disability.

He began receiving payments in September 2002.

Authorities said Santiago reaffirmed his eligibility in 2017, stating he remained disabled and had not worked in the previous two years.

In total, he collected more than $316,000 in disability payments to which he was not entitled, authorities said.

Santiago also applied for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in February 2017 through the Connecticut Department of Social Services.

In that application and in subsequent renewal forms, he reported having no employment income, prosecutors said.

He began receiving SNAP benefits the following month and ultimately made more than $18,000 in purchases with them.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Santiago applied for unemployment insurance benefits in April 2020 through the Connecticut Department of Labor.

Officials said he used a Social Security number belonging to another individual and claimed he was unemployed but able and available to work.

From April 2020 through February 2021, Santiago received more than $36,000 in unemployment payments.

Santiago was arrested on May 7, 2024, and pleaded guilty to wire fraud on Feb. 24, 2025, in federal court.

For information on the case, click on this link.