PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) — A multi-agency law enforcement investigation has culminated in the indictment of 17 people in a conspiracy involving $2.4 million of stolen Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, authorities said.
Multiple local and federal law enforcement agencies were involved in an operation to “dismantle” the organization on Tuesday, the U.S. Justice Department said in a release.
Officials said members of the criminal organization “used skimming devices and stolen Electric Benefits Transfer (EBT) accounts to purchase SNAP-eligible products for resale on the black market.”
Traffic enforcement mission yields 100+ citations
The items fraudulently purchased and then resold include large quantities of baby formula, energy drinks and other SNAP-eligible products. The goods were purchased from grocery stores and via websites offering curbside pickup in Oregon, Washington, and California.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day said a Portland police detective initially investigated the case locally and then reached out to federal law enforcement agencies as the scope of the investigation grew.