198 ensnared in Jacksonville food stamp fraud totaling $3.7M

News 4 Jax ^

[TigerClaws]

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.

WATCH: More than a dozen arrested in Operation Half-Back

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

Attorney General Pam Bondi said her office will be prosecuting those felony cases.

"These schemes are very active in our state, and I look forward to my office holding these defendants accountable," Bondi said in a statement, applauding law enforcement for their efforts. "It is because of their diligence and hard work that this scheme was put to an end."

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.

Operation-Half-Back-poster

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," 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."

READ: Office of Public Benefits Integrity's response to SNAP fraud investigation

The Office of Public Benefits Integrity told News4Jax that if the people arrested are found guilty of fraud, they'll be required to pay that money back.

“It’s very frustrating because the people who actually have a need for the EBT cards are getting shorted," said taxpayer Hugh Hyatt.

Jasmine Coleman, who recently applied for SNAP benefits, said it's upsetting knowing people are abusing the program that's meant to help families like hers.

"To support my daughters and me, I'm a server and I don't make that much and food is starting to get very expensive," she said. "It's making it harder for us to receive benefits and for us to actually get support and use it the right way."

Bondi said the crimes are unacceptable.

"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 said.

Williams singled out four businesses he said were the biggest offenders found during the fraud investigation.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks so much for your support to this point... I personally apprecaite it...
FReepers, it's far beyond time to wrap up this FReep-a-thon.  Lets do it today.  Please chip in.

President Donald J. Trump and the Free Republic of the United States of America
President Donald J. Trump's address to the United Nations on 09/19/2017.

Ramirez political cartoon:  Elizabeth Warren LARGE VERSION 03/15/2018: LINK  LINK to regular sized versions of his political cartoons (archive).
Garrison political cartoon:  the Fall of Hillary LARGE VERSION 03/15/2018: LINK  LINK (scroll down) to regular sized versions of his political cartoons (archive).

FReepers, 91.477% of the First Quarter FReep-a-thon goal has been met.  Click above and pencil in your donation now.  Please folks, lets end this FReepathon.  Thank you!
...this is a general all-purpose message, and should not be seen as targeting any individual I am responding to...

Just $460.00 dollars to 92.00%

[DoughtyOne]

Advocate stamping out food stamp fraud...

[Rebelbase]

Food boxes with canned asian carp would stop this fraud.

[jdsteel]

Canned Asian carp....it’s what’s for dinner!!!

[Uncle Miltie]

No names. Protected classes cannot be named.

[DUMBGRUNT]

Operation Half-Back

From the photos appears to be closer to one-third black?

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

How did Americans in the 1800s survive?

Even black Americans then grew their own food or found a way to get food.

Food stamps need to be abolished.

[BudgieRamone]

Apparently, the whole Asian carp thing started with a fish farmer trying to raise them for fish stick meat. River flooded the farm, fish escaped. They are supposed to be edible, good even , they just don’t bite on hooks, and that’s part of the problem
This info was relayed to me by a fed park ranger, take it for what it’s worth.

[Vince Ferrer]

Williams said that during Operation Half-Back, undercover officers personally observed 115 individuals in 390 fraudulent transactions from February to July 2017. Attorney General Pam Bondi said her office will be prosecuting those felony cases.

I guess that's ok as far as it goes, but this is actually small potatoes. SNAP is big business for big business. JP Morgan makes millions off SNAP card transaction fees. WalMart makes billions off SNAP. Millions of taxpayers pay to throw billions at a never ending problem so that it can all roll up to a dozen or so super wealthy lilly whites, who keep the game going.

[jjotto]

Asian carp were introduced into the US to clean up sewage treatment ponds.

[Gay State Conservative]

THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICTURES

[REDWOOD99]

Operation Half-Barack?

[Beowulf9]

[Beowulf9]

[BlueLancer]

I guess I'm just a bad person and a racist ...

...but I swear that when I read the headline of that picture, I read it as "Operation Half-Black" ...

[Governor Dinwiddie]

See, it's President Trump's fault—none of this happened during Obozo's time in office.
 

[Libloather]

...more than 22,000 fraudulent transactions involving $3.7 million in taxpayer money.

In one city. Unreal.

[blueunicorn6]

“Well, he was stealing, so I can, too!”

[vette6387]

“I guess I’m just a bad person and a racist ...
...but I swear that when I read the headline of that picture, I read it as “Operation Half-Black” ... “

You are not alone! But look at it this way, maybe when the other 198 warrants are issued and the mugshots put up, the program will look more “Half-Black!” It has real potential!