Worcester Man Accused Of Using Stolen Identity To Obtain $162K

WORCESTER, MA — A Worcester man was accused of using a U.S. citizen's stolen identity to receive more than $160,000 in state health care benefits.

Santo Escolastico Cuello, 56, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on three counts of making false statements relating to health care matters and one count of aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Cuello, a Dominican national who was also accused of unlawfully residing in the U.S., received about $162,180 in MassHealth benefits, according to federal prosecutors.

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Court filings said he used the U.S. citizen's Social Security number and claimed to be a citizen while applying for Massachusetts health care benefits. Prosecutors say that he also submitted an affidavit falsely stating that he was a U.S. citizen.

Cuello was also accused of identifying himself as the person whose identity he had stolen during previous arrests, according to prosecutors.

He faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine on each false statement charge. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence that would run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

Cuello could also face deportation after completing any sentence, prosecutors said. He will be arraigned at a later date.

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