The good news: Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Leah Foley scored another win by charging an illegal immigrant living in the Bay State with living under a stolen identity and receiving more than $400,000 in stolen federal benefits.

The bad news: That $400,000 came out of taxpayers’ wallets and siphoned funds from needy, law-abiding people.

Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez, 59, a Colombian national, also allegedly voted in the 2024 presidential election, obtained a Massachusetts Real ID and eight other state IDs, according to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Orovio-Hernandez is accused of improperly receiving about $400,000 in federal benefits going back 20 years: $259,589 in Section 8 rental assistance; $101,257 in Social Security disability benefits; and $43,348 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

The allegations are stunning and raise many questions. For starters, how many other scammers have yet to be uncovered? It’s doubtful that such activity is a fluke.

Fraudsters are always looking for a foothold into the identities of strangers. Last year, background checking service National Public Data was hit by a cyberattack that potentially compromised the personal information (including Social Security numbers) of millions.

The Social Security Administration, in a bid to deter fraud, issued a policy earlier this year requiring in-person identity verification. They dialed that back to allow seniors and other recipients to verify their identity over the phone rather than requiring them to make in-person visits, according to a White House official.

That, said the official, is thanks to the rollout of anti-fraud software that can identify anomalies and flag potential fraud when people verify their identities over the phones.

On Thursday, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., called for an investigation into the SNAP (food stamps) program, posting on X: “Taxpayers are on the hook for $400 million/day in SNAP funding, and the program is riddled with waste, fraud, and abuse. Time to get @ElonMusk and @DOGE involved so we know how widespread this issue is.”

Fraud-busting measures are commendable, but we brace for more brazen big-bucks banditry to hit the news.

“Government-funded programs for those in need are intended to be safety nets for those living in our country lawfully — not support an illegal alien without a right to be here,” Foley said.

“Ms. Orovio-Hernandez was entitled to none of these privileges as a Colombian citizen who was unlawfully in this country. The alleged crimes are an affront to every individual who plays by the rules and undermines many of the programs meant to support the most vulnerable members of our society.”

Those who need these funds and those who foot the bill are tied for justifiable anger at such fraud. Taxpayers want to know that at least the money they’re sending to Washington is helping struggling Americans. And people who need benefits to get through a week of being able to feed their children and put a roof over their heads are further injured when those funds are snatched by scammers.

Cheers to Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Foley and her office, and others like them, for exposing those who rob the American people.