The idea that fraudsters are inherently fraudsters for life is a simplification. We don’t want to take away from anyone the opportunity to change. The bigger question is, do fraudsters ever want to change? For Reynaldo Martinez the answer is not right now. On April 4, 2025, Martinez pleaded guilty to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fraud using stolen identities, which was not his first time pleading guilty to fraud. Court records showed that dating back as far as 2012, Martinez had been arrested and convicted on multiple occasions in multiple states, showing that Martinez certainly didn’t want to change his habits just yet.
In his latest schemes, Reynaldo Martinez admitted that he obtained at least forty SNAP EBT cards using stolen identities and stolen or fraudulent Social Security numbers. To validate his application for fraudulent SNAP benefits, Martinez appeared in person at multiple Rhode Island Department of Human Services offices. He presented fraudulent drivers’ licenses in various names depicting his own photograph. He also used stolen Social Security numbers assigned to adult victims, unbeknownst to them. Although one Social Security number was assigned to a deceased individual, and a few others were assigned to juveniles. All told, Martinez defrauded SNAP of $33,192.
Concurrently, maybe to make the most of the stolen identities used in his SNAP scheme, Martinez also obtained checks made payable to others, where he then altered the checks to reflect counterfeit or fraudulent driver’s licenses that he presented when cashing or depositing the checks. The total amount of fraudulent U.S. Treasury checks cashed or deposited was approximately $79,532.32.
Excellent job by U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General in this case.
Today’s Fraud of The Day is based on article “Pawtucket man admits to defrauding SNAP, U.S. Treasury out of $100K” published by Providence Business News on April 4, 2025.
A Pawtucket man has admitted in federal court that he defrauded the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the U.S. Treasury out of more than $100,000, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Reynaldo Martinez, 32, admitted on April 1 to fraudulently securing at least $33,192.36 in benefits through 40 SNAP electronic benefits.
