COOPER CITY, Fla. (CBS12) — Hundreds of people, including a single mother of three and an elderly woman, have been identified as victims in an alleged fraud scheme involving stolen food stamp benefits, according to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators say the scheme involved theft of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, which are issued on Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards that function like debit cards and require a PIN to access funds.

The investigation began July 20, 2025, after a victim reported fraudulent EBT use at a Walmart in Cooper City. Deputies say they later identified about 200 victims, with losses totaling more than $120,000, and have since interviewed more than 30 people.

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Authorities say Tamica Brown ran an organized operation that involved illegally obtaining EBT card numbers and PINs, which were then used to drain accounts. The stolen information was allegedly transmitted to Brown electronically and used for unauthorized purchases, including energy drinks and sports drinks.

Victims often discovered the fraud when their cards were declined at checkout and their benefits were already depleted.

Brown, 43, was arrested on April 7 and is being held at the Broward County Jail on charges including trafficking in counterfeit cards and criminal use of personal identification information.