Four people were charged in a Massachusetts federal case accused of using more than 100 stolen identities to fraudulently obtain about $440,000 in SNAP benefits and over $700,000 in pandemic unemployment aid—roughly $1.1 million total—then buying bulk food for El Primo restaurant in Leominster, selling meals for profit and wiring proceeds to individuals in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. Prosecutors say counterfeit IDs, fake EBT cards and records were seized; two of the accused are Venezuelan nationals. Rhode Island officials detected the scheme in June 2024 during an audit; arrests and initial court appearances occurred in Worcester in early February 2026. (wbur.org)