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Trump admin. announces enforcement actions against over 40 defendants accused of nearly $42M in SNAP fraud
Confirmed
In Short: Vice President JD Vance announced a nationwide crackdown on fraud involving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), targeting over 40 defendants accused of siphoning nearly $45 million from USDA assistance programs.
Vice President JD Vance announced a nationwide crackdown on fraud involving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and related USDA programs, targeting over 40 defendants accused of siphoning nearly $45 million from federal assistance programs.
In Massachusetts, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley revealed a $1 million scheme involving nine Dominican nationals who used stolen identities to enroll in public assistance programs, resulting in approximately $943,197 in total losses to public assistance programs, including $149,775 in SNAP benefits, $776,715 in MassHealth benefits, and $16,707 in Social Security benefits.
Some defendants allegedly stole identities for several years at a time, with one individual reportedly living under a stolen identity for over 20 years.
Foley's office stated that nearly $9 million in benefit fraud has been uncovered since December 2025, and all nine defendants face decades in prison if convicted.
The ongoing investigation highlights the federal government's efforts to combat fraud within public assistance programs, with some defendants arrested multiple times and even convicted under the same false identities.
In a separate development, state Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s office has uncovered tens of millions of dollars in SNAP and Medicaid fraud, including millions of dollars lost to fraud in just the first quarter of FY26 alone.
The federal busts come amid a broader push by the Trump administration to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in public assistance programs, despite Governor Maura Healey's refusal to turn over information on SNAP recipients in Massachusetts, including immigration status, to the USDA and the Trump administration.
The enforcement actions are part of a coordinated federal crackdown on benefit fraud schemes that exploited stolen identities to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer-funded programs.
It is not clear when the defendants will appear in federal court, but the ongoing investigation underscores the federal government's commitment to addressing public assistance fraud.
The new initiative, called the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program (WHIP), allows people to submit tips through fraud.gov, encouraging the public to report suspicious activities.
What this adds
The initiative highlights the federal government's focus on combating fraud within public assistance programs, with ongoing investigations and enforcement actions targeting individuals and entities involved in benefit fraud.
Background
Elon Musk is leaving his role as a top adviser to President Trump, where he spearheaded the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), amid ongoing fraud investigations in USAID.
What's confirmed
- Vice President JD Vance announced a nationwide crackdown on fraud involving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and related USDA programs, targeting over 40 defendants accused of siphoning nearly $45 million from federal assistance programs.
- In Massachusetts, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley revealed a $1 million scheme involving nine Dominican nationals who used stolen identities to enroll in public assistance programs, resulting in approximately $943,197 in total losses to public assistance programs, including $149,775 in SNAP benefits, $776,715 in MassHealth benefits, and $16,707 in Social Security benefits.
- Some defendants allegedly stole identities for several years at a time, with one individual reportedly living under a stolen identity for over 20 years.
- Foley's office stated that nearly $9 million in benefit fraud has been uncovered since December 2025, and all nine defendants face decades in prison if convicted.
- The ongoing investigation highlights the federal government's efforts to combat fraud within public assistance programs, with some defendants arrested multiple times and even convicted under the same false identities.
- In a separate development, state Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s office has uncovered tens of millions of dollars in SNAP and Medicaid fraud, including millions of dollars lost to fraud in just the first quarter of FY26 alone.
- The federal busts come amid a broader push by the Trump administration to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in public assistance programs, despite Governor Maura Healey's refusal to turn over information on SNAP recipients in Massachusetts, including immigration status, to the USDA and the Trump administration.
- The enforcement actions are part of a coordinated federal crackdown on benefit fraud schemes that exploited stolen identities to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer-funded programs.
- It is not clear when the defendants will appear in federal court, but the ongoing investigation underscores the federal government's commitment to addressing public assistance fraud.
- The new initiative, called the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program (WHIP), allows people to submit tips through fraud.gov, encouraging the public to report suspicious activities.
What's still developing
- In February, the Herald reported on a Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) whistleblower’s claims of “rampant” fraud within the agency.
- Beyond its focus on prominent US employers and its White House-level involvement, three features of the action stand out: The announcement did not indicate that an official finding of wrongdoing has been made against any of the affected employers, and DOL’s regulations allow it to suspend permanent labor certification (Program Electronic Review Management, “PERM”) processing while an investigation is pending, before any determination has been made.
- The second is when it learns that the party is under investigation for possible fraud or willful misrepresentation by the Department of Justice (“DOJ”), the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), or another agency.
- Vance led a press conference announcing that the Department of Labor (“DOL”) “will not accept any new or process any pending permanent labor certification applications” involving eight employers.
- OHIO (VINnews) – Vice President JD Vance announced Wednesday that a federal anti-fraud task force had identified more than $40 million in alleged welfare fraud involving more than 40 suspects, but officials provided few details about the cases.
- The Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division has announced a series of significant fraud enforcement actions across the Southeastern United States, the product of robust federal-state partnerships with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina.
- "The kind of money that's been stolen is trillions from this country," Trump said during an Oval Office announcement.
- “This morning, we notified the government that we are filing a lawsuit today to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes,” the outlets said in a joint statement released by CNN.
- The Supreme Court on Monday declined to review a decision by former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to reject plea agreements with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two other defendants accused of plotting the 9/11 terror attack.
- If someone voluntarily downs enough cocktails, advocate Will Rivera explained to The Meteor last year, their assault “does not technically constitute a crime.” (This changes if a victim presents with bruises or other physical evidence of battery.) In fact, Van Houten raised this exact distinction when he addressed why criminal charges were never brought in the Cornell case: “[Jane Doe] never says [in her original interview] that she was drugged without her knowledge,” he said.
- WASHINGTON — U.S. authorities have detained several people, including Somali nationals, in a sweeping immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, officials said Wednesday, just two days after Trump launched a tirade against immigrants from the Horn of Africa, particularly Somalis, and vowed to remove them from the country.
- U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a 14-day temporary restraining order, saying credentials were revoked without due process U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the White House to restore press access for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico on Thursday, finding that President Donald Trump's ban on the three outlets was likely unconstitutional and that their credentials had been revoked without due process, according to CNBC.