LOS ANGELES, California — A coordinated law enforcement operation has led to the arrest of five individuals accused of using skimmed electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card information to create counterfeit cards and steal funds intended for low-income Californians, the Justice Department announced.
Three of the suspects have been detained without bond, while two others are set to appear in United States District Court. The operation involved around 70 officers monitoring ATMs across Los Angeles to identify unauthorized cash withdrawals from accounts belonging to legitimate EBT beneficiaries, according to the Justice Department.
Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally stated, “These defendants who are illegally in the United States targeted and stole from some of the poorest members of our community.” He emphasized the financial impact of the fraudulent activity and the commitment to protecting vulnerable citizens…