Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez faces charges for voter fraud in the 2024 election and stealing $400K in federal benefits

 new Illegal Migrant Stole Over $400,000 in taxpayer funded benefits & voted in the 2024 Election, 

Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez faces charges for voter fraud in the 2024 election and stealing $400K in federal benefits. .

Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez, a 59-year-old Colombian migrant, was indicted in Massachusetts on May 22, 2025, for federal crimes including voter fraud in the 2024 presidential election and stealing over $400,000 in taxpayer-funded benefits. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts alleges that Orovio-Hernandez, who lived illegally in Boston for over 20 years, used a stolen identity to access benefits and vote. The case, covered by tictac24, has sparked debates over election integrity and benefits fraud.

The Allegations: Identity Theft and Fraud Orovio-Hernandez allegedly used the stolen identity of a Puerto Rican citizen to obtain nine state IDs, including a Massachusetts Real ID, and applied for a U.S. passport by falsely claiming citizenship. 

The scheme was uncovered after a 2003 visa application flagged discrepancies, with her photo matching the stolen identity. She used this identity to register to vote in January 2023 and cast a fraudulent ballot in the November 2024 election. Surveillance footage from a Massachusetts bank on Election Day showed her wearing an “I Voted” sticker, providing key evidence.

Fraudulent Benefits: 

$404,194 Stolen Prosecutors say Orovio-Hernandez defrauded federal programs, obtaining $404,194 in benefits from 2005 to January 2025, including:

$259,589 in Section 8 rental assistance

$101,257 in Social Security disability benefits

$43,348 in SNAP benefits (food stamps)

“Stealing someone’s identity to obtain benefits is an abuse of systems meant for those in need,” said Amy Connelly, Special Agent at the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. 

Charges and Penalties The indictment includes eight counts:

• False representation of a Social Security number

• False statement in a U.S. passport application

• Aggravated identity theft

• Three counts of receiving stolen government money

• Fraudulent voter registration

• Fraudulent voting

If convicted, Orovio-Hernandez faces up to 30 years in prison, over $1 million in fines, and deportation to Colombia. She has been in custody since February 2025, when initial charges were filed.

Why This Matters The case fuels debates over voter ID laws and immigration enforcement. U.S. Attorney Leah Foley called the crimes 

“an affront to those who play by the rules.” 

The Department of Homeland Security cited the case to promote updates to its SAVE program to prevent voter fraud. It aligns with efforts like Executive Order 14248, signed in March 2025, to protect voting systems.