A Colombian woman who masqueraded as an American citizen for more than 20 years has been indicted for identity theft.
The woman received rental assistance, Social Security and SNAP benefits under a phony name, according to a Department of Justice news release, and also was able to vote. Through use of the fake identity, she obtained a REAL ID in Massachusetts as well as eight other state IDs.
A court filing said the suspect obtained her first state ID – a learner’s permit – in 2004 by using a false identity.
The filing indicated that officials who vetted her passport application in November 2024 were the first to catch on to the fraud that had been taking place.
After being initially arrested and indicted in February, Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez, 59, has been slapped with a superseding indictment that charged her with one count of false representation of a Social Security number; one count of making a false statement in an application for a United States passport; one count of aggravated identity theft; three counts of receiving stolen government money or property; one count of fraudulent voter registration; and one count of fraudulent voting,