A press conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Moakley Federal Courthouse in Boston.

Authorities have not released further details about the charges or defendants at this time.

Foley described the case as the tip of the iceberg, noting multiple benefit-fraud investigations are underway under this administration.

Four Massachusetts residents face charges in a multi-state scheme that used more than 100 stolen identities to obtain over $1 million in benefits, including SNAP and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.

Prosecutors allege Raul Fernandez Vicioso and Joel Vicioso used counterfeit passports and cards photographed at El Primo Restaurant to buy bulk groceries with bogus EBT cards, routing proceeds to Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.

Rhode Island investigators traced the fraud to 117 SNAP applications listing residency at just two Providence apartments, helping link the scheme to more widespread activity.

U.S. Attorney Leah Foley criticized the lack of referrals to federal agencies, warning that simply turning off benefits cards does not stop ongoing identity theft or fraud.

The case highlights ongoing efforts to bolster safeguards and data sharing to ensure benefits reach the intended recipients.

Massachusetts officials faced criticism for delaying referrals to federal authorities, prompting calls for greater cooperation to combat SNAP fraud.

The arrests and charges are being pursued by federal authorities, with officials citing gaps in guardrails and broader fraud concerns in SNAP and related programs.

The case underscores coordination gaps between state agencies and federal authorities in detecting and prosecuting benefits fraud involving stolen identities.

Officials acknowledged online application vulnerabilities and are adding a fraud coordinator to address rampant benefit fraud in the state.