SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A federal grand jury returned a 21-count indictment charging six individuals with conspiracy to commit identity theft, wire fraud, bank fraud, Social Security misuse, aggravated identity theft, and forced labor in a scheme that exploited vulnerable victims — including people experiencing homelessness — to fraudulently obtain approximately $114,559.49 in loans and credit.
Four of the six defendants were arrested this week following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, and the United States Secret Service. A fifth defendant, Josué A. Marrero-Otero, remains a fugitive. The sixth defendant has not been publicly identified.
“Financial fraud is one of the largest challenges facing American citizens and businesses today. Prevention and prosecution of crimes of this nature will remain a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow.
According to court documents, defendant Anthony Marrero-Rosario produced falsified Puerto Rico birth certificates, Social Security cards, and Puerto Rico driver’s licenses using identifying information belonging to real individuals. He provided the documents to his brother Josué A. Marrero-Otero, who used the stolen identities to apply for bank loans. Marrero-Otero and his partner Yesenia Marrero-Collazo forced vulnerable victims to submit fraudulent loan applications at multiple banks, while defendant Vivian D. Marrero-Ginés joined them in coercing victims into applying for lines of credit at additional banks and retail stores. Defendant José A. Vilorio-Figuereo participated by mailing false identification documents to the continental United States.
Marrero-Otero and Marrero-Collazo face a separate forced labor count for coercing a victim through threats of physical violence from September 2023 through December 2023 into submitting false information using fraudulent documents to obtain commercial credit and property for the defendants’ benefit.
“Today’s arrests demonstrate HSI San Juan’s steadfast commitment to protecting our communities from those who exploit the most vulnerable for financial gain,” said Yariel Ramos, HSI San Juan acting special agent in charge. “This criminal organization not only stole identities and defrauded financial institutions, it preyed on people experiencing homelessness and coerced them into participating in its schemes.”
Carlos R. Goris, special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office, said investigators believe there may be additional victims. “The FBI remains committed to protecting our communities from those who seek to profit by manipulating and victimizing others,” Goris said, urging anyone with information to contact HSI at (787) 729-6969 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
The four arrested defendants appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mariana Bauzá-Almonte of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison plus a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least two years for the aggravated identity theft charges. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa D. Bonano-Rodríguez of the Social Security Administration is prosecuting the case.