The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Administration announced enforcement action against 170 retailers across New York's five boroughs for SNAP fraud. The investigation, dubbed Operation SNAP Back, involved hundreds of undercover investigations, the agency said.
Retailers were charged with SNAP trafficking—the exchange of benefits for cash—and illegal use of food assistance to purchase alcohol and non-food items. Penalties range from temporary removal to permanent disqualification from the program, along with monetary fines. Several cases have been referred to the USDA Office of Inspector General for criminal investigation.
Since the Trump Administration began, more than $5.8 billion in federal program fraud has been stopped, according to the USDA. This includes nearly 6,000 retailers that have been disqualified or suspended and over 2,000 illegal point-of-sale devices that have been disabled or blocked.