Dominican National Sentenced for Misusing Social Security Number

BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for fraudulently using another person’s Social Security number.

Manuel Maria German Familia, 30, who previously resided in Lawrence, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 14 months in prison. German Familia will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. On June 24, 2021, German Familia pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number.

In 2016, German Familia fraudulently used a Social Security number that was assigned to someone else in an application at the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security’s Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized field investigative group comprised of personnel from various local, state, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Joshua McCallister, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Billerica Police Department and Lawrence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak III of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.