Caught between stolen identities and illegal dealings, one illegal alien's hunger for cash turns into a multi-year scam, shaking the foundations of a vital assistance program. But as the web of deceit unravels, revealing a trail of fraud and firearm possession, justice inches closer, leaving no stone unturned in its pursuit.
A Dominican Republic citizen residing unlawfully in the U.S. has confessed to swindling $213,000 in food stamp benefits in Rhode Island, as per a federal announcement.
Giomar Lopez Meireles, aged 41, acknowledged his involvement in defrauding the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Additionally, he was apprehended while unlawfully possessing a firearm, according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Rhode Island.
Following his guilty plea, Lopez Meireles is scheduled to be sentenced on September 4.
Investigators revealed Lopez Meireles' participation in a scam to apply for SNAP assistance using stolen identities and counterfeit social security numbers. Upon filing for assistance with these false identities, Lopez Meireles received electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards loaded with funds, which he then sold for cash.
Reportedly, Lopez Meireles submitted fraudulent SNAP applications from September 2021 to November 2023 to the Rhode Island Department of Human Services, the entity overseeing the SNAP program in the state.
Upon raiding his residence, law enforcement uncovered numerous EBT cards wrapped in paper with accompanying account and PIN details. Additionally, a 9 mm pistol was seized from the premises. Possession of a firearm by an undocumented immigrant is unlawful in the United States.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General and the Rhode Island Office of Internal Audit – Fraud Detection & Prevention Unit. Multiple other agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, and various Rhode Island police departments, contributed to the investigation.
The SNAP program witnessed its most significant increase in funding during President Joe Biden's administration, attributed to inflation driving up food prices.
In late 2022, the maximum benefit for a family of four rose from $835 to $939 per month, marking the largest annual percentage increase since the implementation of the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan in 1975.
However, in 2023, Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa introduced a bill (SB 2923) aimed at curbing spending by nearly $1 billion monthly by reducing taxpayer expenses due to payment errors under SNAP. Ernst highlighted approximately $11.2 billion in overpayments in 2022 alone.
“Families across the country are going hungry while bureaucrats are jumping the line to gobble up SNAP dollars, either as a meal ticket to beef up state budgets or a self-serve buffet of benefits for themselves or others who do not qualify,” said Ernst. “I’m snapping back! It’s time for states at fault to pay the piper and eat the costs of their taxpayer waste. Instead of overserving bureaucrats, let’s end the waste and set a place at the table for hungry families.
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