BOSTON, Mass. — A Colombian national unlawfully residing in the United States has been sentenced to federal prison after authorities uncovered a decades-long scheme involving identity theft, fraudulent government benefit claims, passport fraud, and illegal voting.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, 60-year-old Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 33 months in federal prison. In addition to her prison sentence, she was ordered to pay $404,194 in restitution and will face deportation proceedings upon completion of her sentence.

Orovio-Hernandez was convicted in February 2026 following a five-day jury trial on multiple federal charges, including false representation of a Social Security number, making false statements in a U.S. passport application, aggravated identity theft, receiving stolen government property, and fraudulent voting.

Federal prosecutors said Orovio-Hernandez spent more than 20 years living under the stolen identity of a U.S. citizen born in Puerto Rico. Using the victim’s name, date of birth, and Social Security number, she allegedly obtained numerous forms of identification, including nine Massachusetts-issued IDs, driver’s licenses, learner’s permits, and a Massachusetts REAL ID.

Investigators determined that she repeatedly submitted fraudulent documents, including a Social Security card and Puerto Rico birth certificate, to maintain the false identity. Authorities further alleged that she petitioned a Puerto Rico court to obtain a late-registered birth certificate under the stolen identity, ultimately securing the document in November 2022.

Using the stolen identity, prosecutors said Orovio-Hernandez fraudulently obtained more than $404,000 in taxpayer-funded benefits over several years. The benefits included approximately:

  • $259,589 in Section 8 housing assistance
  • $101,257 in Supplemental Security Income disability benefits
  • $43,348 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits

Authorities stated that she repeatedly claimed under penalty of perjury that she was a U.S. citizen in order to qualify for programs reserved for citizens and lawful residents.

Federal officials also revealed that Orovio-Hernandez voted in the November 2024 presidential election using the stolen identity. Later that same month, she applied for a U.S. passport at a Jamaica Plain post office, allegedly presenting the fraudulently obtained Massachusetts REAL ID and Puerto Rico birth certificate as proof of citizenship.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley described the case as a deliberate and calculated fraud scheme that exploited public assistance programs and undermined confidence in government systems.

“For more than two decades, this defendant treated the identity of an American citizen as a personal entitlement,” Foley said. “This was a deliberate effort to obtain benefits, secure official documents, and gain privileges reserved for lawful residents and citizens.”

The investigation involved multiple federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General.

Officials emphasized that the case highlights ongoing efforts to combat benefit fraud, identity theft, and election-related offenses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office recently established a dedicated Benefit and Voter Fraud Team to investigate and prosecute fraud involving taxpayer-funded programs throughout Massachusetts.

Authorities encourage anyone with information regarding suspected benefit fraud to report it through federal and state reporting channels.

Following her prison sentence, Orovio-Hernandez will remain subject to immigration proceedings and deportation from the United States.