Dominican Man Sentenced For Social Security And Passport Fraud

BOSTON - A Dominican man was sentenced today for his theft of an American citizen’s identity to obtain a U.S. passport and more than $60,000 in Social Security benefits.

Antonio Pulinario Brea, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 10 months in prison and ordered to pay $60,455 in restitution.  In November 2013, Pulinario Brea pleaded guilty to theft of public money and two counts of making a false statement in a passport application.

Beginning in 2001, Pulinario Brea, who was born in the Dominican Republic and later came to the United States, stole the identity of an American citizen and used it to obtain a driver’s license, Social Security card, and passport in the citizen’s name.  Pulinario Brea also used the citizen’s identity to obtain more than $60,000 in Social Security disability benefits that he would not have been entitled to receive under his true identity.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and David Hall, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security’s Boston Field Office, made the announcement today.  The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.