Florida man accused of fraud related to receiving nearly $50,000 in SNAP benefits

FLORIDA – A Florida man has been indicted for allegedly obtaining a driver license and food stamps using the identity of a deceased person.

Luis Alberto Villazon, 63, of Fort White, has been charged with wire fraud, theft of government property, making false statements to a federal agency, fraudulent use of a Social Security number, and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg has announced.

If convicted, the wire fraud charges each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, theft of government property carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment, and the false statements and fraudulent use of a Social Security number charges each carry a maximum penalty of five years. The aggravated identity theft charges each carry a mandatory two-year sentence, at least one of which must run consecutively to any other sentence, said the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida (USAO).

The indictment also notifies Villazon that the United States intends to seek forfeiture of approximately $50,000, the estimated amount of proceeds obtained as a result of the offenses.

According to the indictment and other court documents, in 1998, Villazon, who had previously lived in New York, allegedly applied for and obtained a Florida driver license using the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a person who was born in New York in July 1959 and died in New York in 1976. Villazon was born in August 1959.

Villazon is alleged to have renewed the license several times, on one occasion reportedly presenting a New York birth certificate and a Social Security document under the false identity. According to the USAO, during the same time period, Villazon obtained and renewed a license in his real name. Both licenses were still valid at the end of 2022, the USAO said.

Beginning in 2011, Villazon allegedly applied for and obtained Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, formerly called food stamps, under both the false identity and his true identity. The program required Villazon to submit renewal applications about every six months.

Each time he applied under the false identity, he is alleged to have provided the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of the person who died in 1976.

Villazon reportedly received benefits totaling $25,388 under the false identity through December 2022 and $22,902 under his real name through November 2021.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier will prosecute it.