Richard Santiago, a resident of Hartford confessed to unlawfully collecting a variety of benefits, including Social Security, unemployment, and food stamps. The acting U.S. attorney for Connecticut, Marc Silverman, revealed that Santiago was taken into custody on May 7, 2024, and subsequently pleaded guilty. Santiago ran an elaborate ruse from 2002 to 2024, hiding his considerable income derived from over 20 employers.

The fraudulent acts included Santiago using false identification, including another individual’s Social Security number and card, to further deceive both state and federal government agencies. Santiago’s application for Retirement Survivors Disability Insurance benefits in 2002 was another part of his fraudulent schemes. He claimed a lack of ability to work due to disability and started getting RSDI payments from September 2002. Santiago continued to lie about his disability while renewing his benefits in 2017. It’s estimated that he received more than $316,000 in undeserved RSDI payments.

Further, Santiago falsely claimed unemployment in an application to the Connecticut Department of Labor in 2020. Using another person’s Social Security number, he sought unemployment benefits, claiming he was both jobless and capable of work. Subsequently receiving more than $36,000 in payments he was not entitled to. Additionally, Santiago lied about his income to secure SNAP benefits from the Connecticut Department of Social Services, leading to over $18,000 unauthorized purchases.

Following his guilty plea to a count of wire fraud, Santiago has agreed to pay restitution of $371,686. He was let out on a $25,000 bail bond with sentencing scheduled for May 22.

For those who may have queries regarding unemployment benefits, there are numerous avenues to get your questions answered. The Employment Development Department (EDD) in California offers a range of services. To get in contact with EDD, you can visit their official website at edd.ca.gov, or for a more direct and personal engagement, you can go through eddcaller.com to find ways on how to reach an EDD representative. It’s essential to fully understand your rights and responsibilities concerning unemployment benefits, and these resources may provide you the required assistance.