In a case that underscores serious vulnerabilities in America’s welfare, voting, and identity verification systems, Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez, a 59-year-old Colombian national living in the United States illegally, has been indicted on a staggering array of federal charges.
According to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice, Orovio-Hernandez spent more than two decades living under a stolen identity—collecting over $400,000 in taxpayer-funded benefits, acquiring multiple forms of government ID, and even illegally casting a vote in the 2024 presidential election.
Federal prosecutors allege that Orovio-Hernandez engaged in a long-term scheme to defraud the U.S. government and manipulate the welfare system:
-
$259,589 in Section 8 rental assistance from 2011 through January 2025
-
$101,257 in Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) from 2014 through early 2025
-
$43,348 in SNAP (food stamps) between 2005 and 2025
These benefits are strictly reserved for U.S. citizens or lawful residents, and her illegal presence alone should have disqualified her from receiving them.
According to court filings, Orovio-Hernandez was even caught on surveillance video at a bank on Election Day 2024—wearing an “I Voted” sticker, confirming that she had not only fraudulently registered to vote but had gone through with casting a ballot in a federal election.
Orovio-Hernandez is now facing a mountain of criminal charges, including:
-
False representation of a Social Security number
-
Making a false statement on a U.S. passport application
-
Aggravated identity theft
-
Receiving stolen government money
-
Fraudulent voter registration
-
Fraudulent voting
She was arrested in February 2025 and has remained in federal custody since then.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley didn’t mince words:
“For more than 20 years, this defendant is alleged to have built an entire life on the foundation of a stolen identity – including illegally voting in our presidential election and collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in government benefits.”
Foley emphasized that government programs are intended to support lawful residents, not those who “have no right to be here.” The sentiment was echoed by Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General in the Boston-New York division:
“This is not just theft—it’s a long-term abuse of a system meant to support those truly in need.”
Authorities added that Orovio-Hernandez fraudulently claimed she was born in Puerto Rico—a U.S. territory—when applying for a U.S. passport, effectively trying to cement her status through one of the most secure identity documents in existence.
