BUSTED: Authorities Uncover Huge $3.7 Million Food Stamp Fraud Operation

It’s always really cute when the left tries to tell us that EBT fraud barely exists. I’m not just talking about people who are receiving benefits who probably shouldn’t be. I’m talking about full blown fraud operations. Operations like this.

Authorities uncovered a ring of food stamp fraud operations totaling $3.7 million in Jacksonville, Fla.

Sheriff Mike Williams announced Tuesday the results of a multi-agency, undercover investigation into the exchange of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for cash and, in at least one case, cocaine.

From 2012 to 2017, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detectives, working with federal and state agencies, documented more than 22,000 fraudulent transactions involving $3.7 million in taxpayer money.

“These people are selling or stealing money from hardworking taxpayers right here in our community, and they are abusing a program that is meant to help people,” Williams said.

Williams said that during Operation Half-Back, undercover officers personally observed 115 individuals in 390 fraudulent transactions from February to July 2017.

Unbelievable, yet believable.

Investigators said those with SNAP/EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) cards would give their PIN number to the buyer, and that money would then be deposited into their accounts.

Williams said, in most cases, the food-stamp recipient received 50 cents per $1 of SNAP benefit used. Each transaction was recorded.

The operation originally focused on operators of brick-and-mortar stores, but investigators learned that many of the perpetrators became mobile business — such as meat, seafood and produce vendors — so they could apply to the U.S Department of Agriculture to accept SNAP benefits. Williams said they sold very little merchandise, as most of their volume was exchanging SNAP benefits for cash.

That’s right. They exchanged SNAP benefits for CASH. This happened. We’re talking TAXPAYER DOLLARS here. It’s completely outrageous.

Those accused include 21 people considered recruiters or intermediaries charged with organized schemes to defraud and public assistance fraud.

There were also 177 people accused of selling their benefits who face charges of public assistance fraud — most of those felonies because the transaction involved more than $200. The Sheriff’s Office said 161 warrants are still waiting to be issued.

“Food stamp trafficking steals from Florida’s hardworking taxpayers,” Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. “The SNAP/EBT program is designed to provide services to the most vulnerable among us and for anyone to take advantage of this system is shameful.”

Downright shameful.

“We will not tolerate these disgraceful acts, and we will continue to protect our Florida taxpayers and the countless legitimate recipients of these benefits,” Bondi added.

You can see the specific businesses involved in the scheme here.

The worst part? This is only one instance. You KNOW this is happening elsewhere.

h/t News4Jax