Eight people have been indicted in New York in connection with an alleged scheme that stole more than $7 million in SNAP benefits from thousands of people between April 2023 and September 2025, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors say the group used stolen EBT card numbers and PINs—many allegedly obtained through card skimmers—to create cloned cards. They allegedly set up merchant accounts under real and fake deli names, then drained recipients’ benefits shortly after the money was deposited. In some cases, people reportedly went to buy groceries and discovered their benefits were already gone.
Authorities allege the stolen money was used to buy luxury vehicles and send tens of thousands of dollars overseas, including to Yemen. The case involves eight defendants, and the defendants have pleaded not guilty. These are allegations, and everyone charged is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
WHAT’S TEA? SNAP is supposed to help families put food on the table. Imagine checking out with groceries and finding out somebody got to your benefits before you did. The question is bigger than how this alleged operation worked: how are families protected, and how quickly can stolen benefits be replaced?
What do you think needs to change to better protect EBT cardholders? Let’s talk.
Sources: Manhattan District Attorney’s Office (Oct. 29, 2026) · NBC New York (Oct. 30, 2026) · ABC7 New York (Oct. 30, 2026)
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