OIG investigates P-SNAP sold through social media

The OIG's EBT trafficking data analysis identified a trend of recipients who receive high dollar amounts of Pandemic Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (P-SNAP) benefits using social media to sell their excess benefits. Reports show some recipients receive several thousand dollars in monthly benefits and sell them for fifty cents on the dollar. Several cases remain under investigation.

Another SNAP case involves a retailer in the Fort Worth area that allegedly accepted SNAP benefits without authorization. Undercover operations revealed the retailer was illegally accepting SNAP benefits using a Point of Sale device authorized for a second store owned by the same person. The retailer defrauded the SNAP program in the amount of $135,191. A search warrant was executed in June where the point of sale device and several other electronic devices were seized. A second warrant was served to search those devices for evidence, which is pending. The retailer was permanently disqualified from the SNAP Program, and the case has been referred to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office.

In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2021, the EBT Trafficking Unit received dispositions on four investigations referred to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service for retailer disqualification. Three SNAP program retailers were disqualified from participation for one year and the fourth permanently disqualified. The successful EBT investigations and resulting disqualifications prevented the fraudulent use of $335,076 in SNAP benefits.