Vance-led task force set to unveil charges against 40-plus defendants in alleged $40M SNAP fraud
FIRST ON FOX: Vice President JD Vance will announce today that the federal anti-fraud task force he leads has identified $40 million in welfare fraud and more than 40 suspects...
By Fox News · Fox News
FIRST ON FOX : Vice President JD Vance will announce today that the federal anti-fraud task force he leads has identified $40 million in welfare fraud and more than 40 suspects behind the alleged schemes. A source familiar with the charges told Fox News Digital that Vance will reveal criminal charges as part of the administration’s continued crackdown on rampant fraud across the country. The latest discovery brings the amount of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fraud Vance's team has uncovered to $641 million. More than 1,000 retailers have been banned from the program for violations including criminal trafficking of benefits, while nearly 5,000 others have been suspended and fined a combined $44 million for administrative violations. FBI RETURNS 'MOST WANTED' FRAUDSTER TO US AFTER INDIA ARREST IN ALLEGED $600K SNAP FOOD STAMP SCHEME The administration has destroyed more than 2,200 illegal point-of-sale devices and disabled more than 2,000 compromised retailer authorization numbers. Officials estimate those actions have prevented more than $5 billion in potential fraudulent transactions, according to the source. SNAP is a federally funded food assistance program that helps eligible low-income households buy groceries. Benefits are loaded monthly onto an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card, which recipients can use at authorized retailers to purchase qualifying food. WHITE HOUSE LAUNCHES INTERACTIVE MAP TRACKING BILLIONS IN SUSPECTED FRAUD Criminal charges brought against the defendants, however, do not guarantee the government can recover the funds. During a Fox News Digital exclusive interview in August, Vance said that recouping the money presents yet another challenge, since much of it has already been spent. "Getting money back is very hard," Vance said. "Once it's gone out the door, it's very hard to get it back." "What we've done most effectively is actually just stop the money from going out the door in the first place, because that's the…