Hartford Man's Indictment Alleges Theft Of Government Benefits: Feds

HARTFORD, CT — A federal grand jury has indicted a Hartford man on charges he illegally obtained benefits for Social Security, unemployment, and Food Stamp benefits.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut, said Tuesday a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment against Ricardo Santiago, 58, of Hartford.

She said he was charged with three counts of wire fraud related to a scheme to fraudulently obtain Social Security, unemployment, and Food Stamp benefits.

The indictment was returned May 1 and Santiago was taken into custody Tuesday.

He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was released on a $25,000 bond, Avery said.

As alleged in the indictment and statements made in court, between 2002 and 2024, Santiago held jobs with numerous employers and earned income totaling more than $500,000, according to Avery.

Authorities said Santiago concealed his income from federal and state government agencies by providing to employers false identification, including a Social Security number and card belonging to another individual, and, in at least one instance, a false Social Security card.

The indictment alleges that, in 2002, Santiago applied for Retirement Survivors Disability Insurance (RSDI) benefits, representing to the Social Security Administration that he was unable to work due to disability, officials said.

As a result, he began receiving RSDI payments in September 2002, Avery said.

In 2017, Santiago completed paperwork to maintain benefits in which he asserted he remained disabled and had not worked for the past two years, according to federal officials.

Santiago ultimately collected more than $300,000 in RSDI payments to which he was not entitled, authorities said.

Avery said the indictment also alleges Santiago in February 2017 submitted to the Connecticut Department of Social Services an application for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (Food Stamps) claiming he earned no income from employment.

She said, as a result, he began receiving SNAP benefits in March 2017 and made more than $17,000 in purchases with SNAP benefits to which he was not entitled.

The indictment further alleges, that in April 2020, Santiago applied to the Connecticut Department of Labor for unemployment insurance benefits, according to Avery.

On the application, Santiago used a Social Security number belonging to another individual, and he claimed he was unemployed but available for work and physically able to work, Avery said.

As a result, from April 2020 through February 2021, Santiago received more than $35,000 in payments to which he was not entitled, officials said.

If convicted, Santiago faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count of wire fraud.

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