In a significant crackdown on welfare fraud, four Massachusetts residents have been charged in connection with a multi-state scheme that reportedly involved using over 100 stolen identities to defraud the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). The defendants, including two Venezuelan nationals, allegedly orchestrated a fraudulent operation that has costs to taxpayers estimated at around $1 million. U.S. Attorney Leah Foley announced the charges during a press conference, highlighting the extent of identity theft used to exploit public assistance programs. Recent audits revealed nearly $12 million in public assistance fraud within the state, further emphasizing the alarming scale of the issue. This operation has prompted scrutiny of management practices, especially after reports of fraud in various public benefits programs, leading to political tensions surrounding the handling of SNAP recipient information.