A longtime U.S. Department of Agriculture employee and five others have been charged in a sprawling fraud and bribery scheme that authorities say siphoned more than $66 million from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly referred to as food stamps.
Federal prosecutors unsealed a superseding indictment on May 29, accusing Arlasa Davis, 56, of selling confidential license data from inside the USDA’s anti-fraud division to help a network of conspirators illegally obtain electronic benefit terminals. Davis is also charged with taking bribes disguised as “birthday gifts” and “flowers,” according to the indictment.
“Michael Kehoe and his co-conspirators misappropriated tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds meant to help low-income families put food on the table,” said U.S. Attorney Perry Carbone. “This fraud was made possible when USDA employee Arlasa Davis betrayed the public trust by selling confidential government information to the very criminals she was supposed to catch. Their actions undermined a program that vulnerable New Yorkers depend on for basic nutrition. These charges should be a reminder that those who exploit anti-poverty programs for personal gain will be held accountable for their crimes.”…