Chelsea, MA — A Chelsea man, Wilberto Sandoval Mazariego, has been sentenced for his involvement in a scheme to sell fraudulent Social Security cards and Green Cards, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced. Mazariego, 41, was sentenced to one month in prison, followed by six months of home confinement.
The investigation into fraudulent document sales began after the arrest of Tomas Xirum in August 2022. Authorities discovered text messages between Xirum and Sandoval Mazariego, which revealed that Mazariego was the creator of the counterfeit documents. These texts contained numerous images of fraudulent Social Security cards and Green Cards, which Mazariego had produced in exchange for information such as names, dates of birth, and countries of birth sent by Xirum.
In August 2023, Sandoval Mazariego sold a fraudulent Green Card and Social Security card to an undercover agent. During a search of his residence in October 2023, authorities seized several items used to make counterfeit identification, including laminators, card stock, and printers, along with nine fake Green Cards, six fake Social Security cards, and five driver’s licenses. The search also uncovered $17,095 in cash.
Xirum, who was arrested earlier, pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to the unlawful transfer and production of counterfeit documents. Sandoval Mazariego was arrested shortly after the undercover operation and will serve his sentence for his role in this extensive fraud scheme.
The case highlights the growing issue of document fraud and the efforts authorities are making to stop these illegal activities.