HARRISBURG, PA — State and local prosecutors on Thursday announced charges against seven people accused of running a sophisticated SNAP trafficking scheme that allegedly funneled $775,677.77 in fraudulent transactions through a Steelton convenience store over three years.
The charges stem from a multi-year investigation led by the Office of State Inspector General and the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office into operations at Quick Stop Convenience Store, located at 300 Lincoln Street. Investigators allege the store’s owner continued accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits despite being permanently barred from the program.
Authorities say the scheme involved exchanging SNAP benefits for cash and prohibited items, allowing the store to profit without providing food while recipients received cash at a steep discount. In a typical transaction described by investigators, a $200 SNAP charge would yield $100 in cash to the recipient, while the store was reimbursed the full amount in public benefits…