CONNECTICUT— A Hartford man was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after amassing hundreds of thousands of dollars in Social Security disability, unemployment, and food stamps, while defrauding New England for over two decades.
Ricardo Santiago, 60, received his sentencing from Judge Vernon D. Oliver in the U.S. District of Connecticut, along with three years of supervised release and a $371,686 restitution bill. As announced by the U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan, District of Connecticut, the case was based on wire fraud in which Santiago concealed his income using false identification, including fake Social Security numbers and cards belonging to other individuals.
Between 2002 and 2024, Santiago was a busy man — holding jobs with over 20 employers and raking in over $580,000 — per court documents and statements.
Santiago concealed employment from government agencies and benefit program oversight by providing his employers with false information and identification, to include phony Social Security numbers, and in at least one instance — a false Social Security card.
Back in 2002, Santiago applied for Retirement Survivors Disability Insurance benefits under the Social Security Administration, claiming he was unable to work due to disability. This got his payment stream flowing in September 2002.
Fast forward to 2017, Santiago went ahead and completed paperwork to maintain the benefits, asserting he was still disabled and hadn’t worked in the two years prior. He ultimately collected more than $316,000 dollars in payments to which he was not entitled to.
That same year, Santiago applied to the Connecticut Department of Social Services for benefits provided by the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), citing no income or employment. The SNAP benefits began in March 2017, which allowed him to make $18,000 in purchases utilizing public assistance benefits.
His persistence continued into April 2020, applying to the Connecticut Department of Labor for unemployment insurance benefits with a Social Security number that belonged to another individual. He stated that he was unemployed, but available to work and physically able, completing weekly certifications under the same excuses; receiving more than $36,000 dollars through February 2021.
Santiago was finally arrested on May 7, 2024 and pleaded guilty to wire fraud on Feb. 24, 2025. He continued his antics during this period where Santiago staged he and his daughter’s drowning in the Connecticut River, then attempting to flee, in September 2025.
Shortly after the stint, he was located and detained in Hartford, where he has remained detained since.
The lengthy investigation was conducted by multiple agencies to include the U.S. Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Guevremont, in yet another taxpayer funded fraud case to strike New England.
