A Panamanian man who stole the identity of a dead American and used it to steal over $680,000 in benefits over 13 years has been arrested and faces up to 15 years in jail, Brooklyn authorities said today.
Luis Lizandro, 32, used the identity of an American citizen named Bobby Standifer, Jr., who died in Panama in 1994 to obtain a U.S. passport, the Brooklyn District Attorney said.
He then used the passport to travel to the U.S. in 1997 and in 2000 applied for Medicaid, Social Security, and food stamps, prosecutors said.
“Those who steal from people who legitimately need these resources are in effect stealing from all of us, and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” said Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes.
Lizando stole over $600,000 in Medicaid benefits, $60,000 in social security payments, and $8,000 in food stamps, prosecutors said.
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