Chicago man faces up to 20 years after admitting to over $1.5 million in SNAP benefits fraud
CHICAGO (CBS) —The U.S. Attorney's Office Northern District of Illinois announced on Thursday that a man faces up to 20 years in federal prison after admitting to fraudulently obtaining more than $1.5 million in SNAP benefits.
David Quinones, 44, of Chicago, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a federal wire fraud charge.
Quinones admitted in a plea agreement that from 2018 to 2023, he gave cash or other items to SNAP recipients in exchange for access to their Link cards and identification numbers. Quinones used the cards to purchase various goods at authorized retail stores, fraudulently representing himself as the authorized user of the cards. He then re-sold most of the items and kept the proceeds for himself.
The office said he admitted to using over 1,200 cards and fraudulently caused the U.S. Department of Agriculture to pay out approximately $1,554,804 in SNAP benefits.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is a federal benefit program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in conjunction with the state government. It is intended to provide food to eligible individuals and families through EBT cards or Link cards as payment for eligible food items.
Stores or individuals cannot exchange Link cards for cash or other items.
Quinones's sentencing is set for June 18.
