Shocking! Food Stamp Fraud Rings Busted in Jacksonville

[angelatc]

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/...ium%3Dsharebar

198 ensnared in Jacksonville food stamp fraud totaling $3.7M

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.

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.

[wizardwatson]

Shelters you have to stay in.
Kitchens you have to eat at.
Job training you have to show up for.

That is how welfare should be structured. Passing out any fungible asset is going to be gamed.

I did it when I was a kid. A lady staying with us had food stamps. Me and my brothers would buy penny candy from the dollar store using $1 food stamps. We'd then pool the change together and rent NES games with the money.

[phill4paul]

Met an ex-judge down in Florida that drove a Jag and wore tie-dye. He and a friend bought a dozen convenience stores after he retired. Back then he was giving 25 cent on the dollar.

[oyarde]

Jacksonville . Probably while they are at it some medicare fraud there too

[kcchiefs6465]

Very shocking. I cannot believe it.

[oyarde]

Looks like Danke could have been buying me more drinks .

[phill4paul]

And this is just in one city in Florida. Can you imagine the fraud in a place like Chicago?

[Origanalist]

This post is racist, where all da white folks?

[Swordsmyth]

This post is racist, where all da white folks?

Working.

[pcosmar]

Working.

Another store.

there is always another store