A federal Grand Jury indicted a Colombian national Thursday on allegations of living in the U.S. unlawfully for years under a stolen identity, receiving hundreds of thousands in government benefits and voting in the last presidential election.
Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez, a 59-year-old Colombian woman residing in Boston, lived in the U.S. more than 20 years under a stolen identity and improperly received roughly $400,000 in rental assistance, Social Security and food stamp benefits, according to a press release by the Department of Justice (DOJ). Prosecutors say she not only voted in the 2024 presidential election, but has been registered to vote since January 2023.
“For more than 20 years, this defendant is alleged to have built an entire life on the foundation of a stolen identity – including illegally voting in our presidential election and collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in government benefits intended for Americans in need,” U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley said in a prepared statement.
