The United States Department of Agriculture is stomping out food benefits fraud, which has evolved over the decades.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has targeted fraud within the USDA, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that feeds about 41 million people. The food benefit program started in the 1960s but has ballooned in cost and size, according to federal documents.
Snap Annualsummary 12 by scott.mcclallen
The nation’s population has increased since the 1960s but other factors matter too. One haunting problem is fraud. Food stamp fraud used to be mostly people selling their food stamps at stores and online, but now, it’s more sinister, easier to hide, and harder to bust.
For example, one USDA employee and five others were charged in 2025. They were accused of stealing $66 million in SNAP benefits.
Starting in 2019, former USDA employee Arlasa Davis allegedly spread 160 unauthorized electronic benefit transfer terminals across New York, where criminals stole about $30 million by swiping stolen SNAP cards. Those terminals are usually linked to Davis shared classified information that allowed the criminals to steal food benefits meant to feed hungry Americans.
In another case, two men from Haiti stole $7 million from the SNAP program. The store owners sold benefits for cash, liquor, and more, according to court documents. One store was only 150 square feet of space, but reported monthly SNAP redemptions ranging from $100,000 to $500,000. By comparison, one full-service supermarket in the same area redeems approximately $82,000 per month in SNAP benefits. The stores each had one register, no shopping carts, and no baskets.
You can report SNAP Fraud in your own communities just like this Chicago-area fraudster stealing from low-income nutrition programs for women and children!
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) January 22, 2026
Report fraud at https://t.co/xge2pyLcmk https://t.co/Igr1gFrifZ pic.twitter.com/0ki7SrL9hj
We found someone stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in SNAP Fraud and they were sentenced to 60 months in federal prison.
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) January 24, 2026
Do you know someone who should join them for stealing from nutrition programs for vulnerable Americans?
Report them here ➡️ https://t.co/D4vUO0i8IW https://t.co/Igr1gFrifZ pic.twitter.com/hRpK2pQdPt
SNAP plays an essential role in helping feed needy families.
— Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) January 22, 2026
Every dollar stolen from SNAP is food taken from a hungry child.
That’s why we need to strengthen its integrity and hold fraudsters accountable! https://t.co/MUG2c8ndfM
Bonheur's store was only 150 square feet of space, but he reported monthly SNAP redemptions ranging from $100,000 to $500,000. By comparison, one full-service supermarket in the same area redeems approximately $82,000 per month in SNAP benefits. The stores each had one register, no shopping carts, and no baskets.
You can report SNAP Fraud in your own communities just like this Chicago-area fraudster stealing from low-income nutrition programs for women and children!
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) January 22, 2026
Report fraud at https://t.co/xge2pyLcmk https://t.co/Igr1gFrifZ pic.twitter.com/0ki7SrL9hj
SNAP plays an essential role in helping feed needy families.
— Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) January 22, 2026
Every dollar stolen from SNAP is food taken from a hungry child.
That’s why we need to strengthen its integrity and hold fraudsters accountable! https://t.co/MUG2c8ndfM
