North Andover Man Sentenced for Misusing a Social Security Number

BOSTON – A North Andover man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for fraudulently using someone else’s Social Security number.

Angel Manuel German Familia, 38, was sentenced on Sept. 14, 2022 by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. German Familia is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On May 31, 2022, German Familia pleaded guilty to two counts of false representation of Social Security number.

In 2016, German Familia fraudulently applied to renew a driver’s license at the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles using the name, date of birth and Social Security number of a United States citizen. German Familia also applied for MassHealth benefits and opened bank accounts in the victim’s name. German Familia was using the stolen identity since as early as 2009 and had submitted a Social Security card and birth certificate in the victim’s name in a previous RMV application.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement. 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; and the North Andover Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak III of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

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