In a significant case of fraud against the federal government, a Minnesota woman was sentenced to a year in prison for swindling more than $325,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The sentence was handed down last week for Latasha Thomas, 39, who was convicted on a count of mail fraud. In addition to her prison term, Thomas has been ordered to pay restitution to the United States Department of Agriculture, as announced by U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen.
The fraudulent activities were not carried out alone. Latasha Thomas collaborated with her daughter, Ambrosia Thomas, and another relative, Cynthia Thomas, over a span of two years. Together, they devised a plan to unlawfully obtain Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. These cards, intended for qualifying individuals, are distributed by the state government and are funded through SNAP.
According to the Justice Department, the trio orchestrated their scheme by fabricating Minnesota temporary driver’s licenses. Each license, bearing a false name, displayed a photo of one of the Thomases. These fraudulent IDs were then used in EBT card applications submitted to Hennepin County, enabling the Thomases to exploit the system.
The fraudulent claims didn’t stop at fake identities. The Thomases went further by asserting that they were women on “high risk pregnancy” bedrest, which they believed would increase their SNAP allocations. Prosecutors highlighted this aspect as a critical part of their deceit.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the lengths some individuals will go to exploit government assistance programs, underscoring the importance of vigilance and oversight in the distribution of benefits meant for those truly in need.
The fake licenses were submitted to Hennepin County in applications for EBT cards. Believing their SNAP allotments could be increased if the purported recipients were confined to bedrest, the Thomases repeatedly claimed to be women experiencing a “high risk pregnancy,” prosecutors said.
In addition, they submitted fake doctor’s notes in an effort to maximize their theft of government funds.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has come under fire for the massive amount of fraud uncovered in his state. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The EBT cards were sent by the state to Cynthia Thomas’ apartment in Roseville. She allegedly lived there under a false name — Sofia Gold — that appears on one of the scheme’s ill-begotten cards.
When authorities searched the apartment, they found several pieces of mail addressed to pseudonyms used in the scheme.
In the inside part of the apartment building’s mailbox — accessible only to building management and mail carriers — law enforcement found notes indicating that mail should be delivered to Cynthia’s apartment for several of the pseudonyms used in the scheme, authorities said.
The trio withdrew government funds from ATMs and used them to make purchases. They also marketed and sold the use of the EBT cards to others, arranging for their customers to pick up an EBT card, use an agreed-upon portion of its monthly allotment, then return the card.
The customers agreed to pay the conspirators a fee, usually 50–60%, for the privilege.
After serving her sentence, Thomas was ordered to repay $325,159 in restitution to the United States Department of Agriculture.
Cynthia Thomas was convicted last year of mail fraud conspiracy and was sentenced in December to probation for three years, Alpha News reported. Ambrosia Thomas has agreed to plead guilty to mail fraud, according to the news outlet, and her case is still in the pre-sentencing process.
