A Bradenton woman who admitted to a long-running identity-and-benefits fraud is headed to federal prison, after a judge said her scheme siphoned off nearly $185,000 in government money.
U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland sentenced 69-year-old Rosario Alaniz to 15 months in federal prison on March 17, 2026, and ordered her to pay $184,904.75 in restitution, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida. Prosecutors said Alaniz pleaded guilty in December 2025, admitting she used a fraudulently obtained U.S. passport to collect Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and Social Security disability payments. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the final judgment.
How the scheme unfolded
Court records state that Alaniz failed to report her actual employment, which prosecutors say allowed her to receive public benefits she was not entitled to, or to collect larger amounts than she should have. The fraud touched multiple federal assistance programs and cost taxpayers nearly $185,000, as reported by the Tampa Free Press.
Investigators and next steps
The investigation was led by the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, with help from the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel prosecuted the criminal case, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne C. Nebesky is handling forfeiture and efforts to claw back the stolen funds.
Legal implications
Alaniz’s guilty plea resolved the criminal charges and left Judge Hovland to determine her punishment under federal sentencing rules. The restitution order and forfeiture process are intended to return money to the government and, by extension, taxpayers, though local reporting notes that recovering the full amount can take months or longer.
What to watch next
Prosecutors say efforts to seize and recover the stolen funds are underway, and the U.S. Attorney's Office has announced the final judgment in the case. There was no immediate word on whether anyone else might face charges, and officials declined to go beyond what was included in the public press release.
