SEATTLE — Two people are facing felony charges, accused of buying food-stamp benefits for cash as part of what Seattle police describe as an organized crime ring preying on vulnerable people in the city’s Chinatown–International District.
Prosecutors say Ha Son Thach, 54, and Lien My Khuu, 46, were charged in King County Superior Court with five counts each of unlawful trafficking in food stamps, a Class C felony under Washington law. Both pleaded not guilty during their arraignments Wednesday morning.
According to Seattle police and court documents, the pair allegedly bought Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards and personal identification numbers from people struggling with addiction or homelessness. Officers say the suspects paid a fraction of the cards’ value in cash and later used the benefits to buy food and household goods that were resold to businesses and private buyers…