A federal court sentenced a Colombian national to 33 months for a two-decade identity theft and benefits fraud scheme that bilked taxpayers and included voter and passport fraud; restitution was set at $404,194 and deportation is expected after the sentence.
Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez, 60, was convicted after a five-day jury trial and received 33 months in prison from U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris. The court also ordered $404,194 in restitution to make clear the financial impact of the scheme. She is expected to be deported when her federal sentence is complete.
Prosecutors say Orovio-Hernandez used a stolen U.S. citizen identity for more than 20 years to obtain official documents and public benefits. Authorities documented roughly $259,589 in Section 8 rental assistance, about $101,257 in Supplemental Security Income disability payments, and approximately $43,348 in SNAP benefits tied to the stolen identity. The totals span fraud committed from the mid-2000s through early 2025 and show how long-term abuse strains public programs.
Investigators found she obtained nine Massachusetts-issued identification documents, including driver’s licenses and a REAL ID, by repeatedly submitting fraudulent papers in the victim’s name. She also secured a late-registered Puerto Rico birth certificate under the stolen identity and later applied for a U.S. passport using those falsified documents. The record shows she even voted in the November 2024 presidential election in Boston under the false identity.
“For more than two decades, this defendant treated the identity of an American citizen as a personal entitlement – exploiting it to enrich herself, evade the law and access government programs and privileges reserved for lawful residents and citizens of this country,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “This was a deliberate, calculated fraud scheme carried out with blatant disregard for American taxpayers, our public institutions and the integrity of our elections. Even after her crimes were uncovered, the defendant attempted to flee and lied under oath. This case is exactly why we launched the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. These are not victimless crimes – and those who steal public benefits, exploit stolen identities and undermine public trust should expect federal prosecution.”
“Today’s sentencing holds Ms. Orovio-Hernandez accountable for a multi-decade scheme involving passport fraud, identity theft, and the abuse of federal programs,” said Nathan Hebert, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Boston Field Office. Hebert emphasized that diplomatic security agents will keep investigating threats to travel documents and national security. The case was built through interagency cooperation, reflecting how multiple offices tracked and proved the fraud.
Agency investigators and prosecutors highlighted the methodical nature of the scheme and its impact on vulnerable program recipients. “This sentence reflects the serious consequences of using a stolen identity to defraud government programs, obtain official documents under false pretenses, and undermine the integrity of our democratic processes,” said Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Boston–New York Field Division. Social Security investigators noted false Social Security claims and repeated misrepresentations that allowed benefits to flow for years.
HUD’s Office of Inspector General described how rental assistance intended for needy families was diverted by the defendant’s false claims. “Orovio-Hernandez spent more than two decades living under a false identity while orchestrating a sophisticated fraud scheme that resulted in the theft of more than $400,000 in taxpayer-funded federal benefits, including substantial HUD rental assistance funds intended to support our nation’s most vulnerable populations,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice, HUD OIG. HUD OIG called the conduct a calculated, sustained effort rather than a one-time lapse.
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The defendant remained in federal custody after indictment in early 2025 and a later superseding indictment. Prosecutors charged her with false representation of a Social Security number, making a false statement in a passport application, aggravated identity theft, multiple counts of receiving stolen government money, and fraudulent voting. Federal officials listed several law enforcement partners involved, including postal inspectors and multiple inspector general offices that helped piece together decades of falsified records.
Federal authorities also flagged broader changes in enforcement following the prosecution, citing programs and units formed to address similar schemes. The Department of Justice and local U.S. Attorney’s offices have added teams and coordinators focused on benefit and voter fraud, and a national enforcement effort has been announced to prioritize cases that steal from taxpayers. Those moves aim to deter long-running identity and benefits fraud and restore confidence in public programs and elections.
