Two men sentenced to three years in state prison for exploiting California’s EBT system
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. – Riverside County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) investigations led to convictions in the theft of more than $300,000 from California’s Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system. The investigation, led by the DPSS Investigations Unit, uncovered a statewide fraud scheme that resulted in the theft of $330,000 from the system that provides financial assistance such as cash aid, food stamps, childcare, and general assistance to the state’s most vulnerable residents.
In October 2024, Nicholas James Hooper and Kenneth Acton illegally accessed the EBT system and stole $330,000. The DPSS Investigations Unit detected suspicious activity and locked the account they were using to steal the money and prevented additional theft in Riverside County…