马里兰检方起诉三人涉粮食券诈骗逾60万美元：低价收购EBT卡信息供餐饮公司进货转卖
美国马里兰区联邦检察官办公室在 Greenbelt 宣布，一名马里兰州居民与两名华盛顿特区居民因涉嫌合谋骗取逾60万美元的「补充营养援助计划」（SNAP，俗称粮食券）福利被起诉。被告为现年32岁、住在马里兰州 District Heights 的 Antonio William McCracken，以及均住在华盛顿特区的 Ricco Coley Young（34岁）与 Kimberly Lady Howard（47岁）。三人被控一项共谋电信欺诈、两项电信欺诈，以及两项未经授权使用、转让、获取、更改与持有SNAP福利的罪名。
起诉书称，自2021年1月至至少2026年2月，同谋者取得属于SNAP受助人的电子福利转账（EBT）卡、卡号与个人识别码（PIN），以现金向受助人购买账户信息，通常只付相当于福利面值约五成的价格，再用这些福利在马里兰州及其他地区的零售商店购买商品，并通过 Young 的餐饮公司用这些商品制作食品出售牟利。三人共计取得并使用了逾60万美元的SNAP福利。
马里兰区联邦检察官 Kelly O. Hayes 与美国农业部监察长办公室（USDA-OIG）东北区特别探员主管 Charmeka Parker 共同宣布了起诉。若被定罪，三人就共谋电信欺诈与电信欺诈罪名最高面临20年监禁，就未经授权使用SNAP福利的罪名最高面临5年监禁。起诉书不等于定罪，被告在后续刑事程序证明有罪之前推定无罪。
Hayes 检察官肯定了 USDA-OIG 的调查工作。本案由联邦助理检察官 Alex Treiger 与 Darren Gardner 负责起诉。
Three Indicted in Maryland in SNAP Fraud Scheme Involving More Than $600,000 in Benefits
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland announced in Greenbelt that a Maryland resident and two Washington, D.C. residents have been indicted in connection with a fraud conspiracy to obtain more than $600,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Antonio William McCracken, 32, of District Heights, Maryland, along with Ricco Coley Young, 34, and Kimberly Lady Howard, 47, both of Washington, D.C., are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and two counts of unauthorized use, transfer, acquisition, alteration, and possession of SNAP benefits.
According to the indictment, from January 2021 through at least February 2026, the co-conspirators obtained SNAP benefits in the form of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, card numbers, and PINs that belonged to SNAP recipients, paying recipients for their account information, often at a discount of approximately 50 percent of the value transferred. They used the benefits to purchase goods at retail stores in Maryland and elsewhere, and used the goods to prepare and sell food through Young's catering company for personal gain. In total, the co-conspirators obtained and used more than $600,000 in SNAP benefits.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG), Northeast Region. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, and up to five years for the unauthorized use of SNAP benefits. An indictment is not a finding of guilt, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USDA-OIG for its work in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Treiger and Darren Gardner are prosecuting the case.
发布：GSM·美国（发布链接）
图片来源：图：位于 Greenbelt 的美国马里兰区联邦地区法院南区法庭大楼（资料图）。美国联邦政府作品，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。Photo: The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Southern Division courthouse in Greenbelt (file photo). Work of the U.S. federal government, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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