A Mexican national pleaded guilty Thursday for his role in a scheme to sell identity documents belonging to U.S. citizens to undocumented noncitizens and others residing within the U.S., officials stated.
According to court documents, Manuel Ruiz-Aguilera, 44, of Mexico, and his co-conspirators sold government-issued identity documents.
These documents included Government of Puerto Rico-issued birth certificates and corresponding U.S. social security cards to undocumented noncitizens residing in U.S.
Ruiz-Aguilera sold the documents to undocumented noncitizens so they could assume the identities of U.S. citizens or use identity documents in that person’s name to reside in the United States.
Ruiz-Aguilera and his co-conspirators knew these documents pertained to real people.
Ruiz-Aguilera was arrested in Mexico in February 2022. In March 2023, he was extradited to Puerto Rico.
Ruiz-Aguilera pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit identification fraud by possessing, producing, and transferring identification documents.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 29.
Trial Attorneys Frank Rangoussis and Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Anderson for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who believes that they have been a victim of identity theft, or wants information about preventing identity theft, may obtain helpful information and complaint forms on various government websites, including the Federal Trade Commission ID Theft Website at www.ftc.gov/idtheft. Additional resources regarding identity theft can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/pubs/ID_theft/idtheft.html, www.ssa.gov/pubs/10064.html, and www.irs.gov/privacy/article/0,,id=186436,00.html.