Peruvian citizen faces federal charges for driving commercial vehicles under stolen identity

A Peruvian citizen is facing immigration fraud charges after allegedly using the identity of a U.S. citizen to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) in Connecticut.

Flor Consuelo Del Carmen Caballero Bernabe, 55, a citizen of Peru residing in Darien, Connecticut, was arrested on August 14, 2025, and is facing federal charges for passport application fraud, misuse of a passport, making a false claim of U.S. citizenship, misuse of a social security account number, aggravated identity theft, and making false statements, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.

Officials say that Caballero Bernabe arrived in the U.S. in 2000 on a non-immigrant visa and then “began using the identity and social security number (SSN) of a U.S. citizen born in Puerto Rico to reside, work, and maintain a Commercial Driver’s License in Connecticut.”

Caballero Bernabe is accused of using the fraudulent CDL to operate commercial motor vehicles for Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulated entities, and of making false statements on an FMCSA administered medical examination form to maintain the CDL, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG).

Caballero Bernabe is further accused of using the stolen identity information to apply for a U.S. passport in 2005, renew it in 2015, and use it to travel internationally. In 2021, the passport was renewed “in the name of Byron Ruiz after Caballero Bernabe completed the Probate Court process for a name and gender change.”

An investigation was launched into the stolen identity case after the person whose identity Caballero Bernabe had reportedly stolen applied for Social Security Disability benefits in 2022 and was told that another person was earning income using that SNN in Connecticut.

Officials further allege that Caballero made multiple false statements to federal agents investigating the case.

This case is under investigation by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, and the DOT-OIG.