The Pennsylvania Office of State Inspector General and the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office have announced charges against seven people in what they call a “sophisticated SNAP trafficking operation that illegally processed $775,000 in fraudulent transactions.”The investigation centered on the Quick Stop Convenience Store at 300 Lincoln Street in Steelton.”The owner is charged with accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits despite being permanently banned from the program,” a statement from the OSIG said. “In SNAP trafficking schemes like this one, stores exchange recipients’ public benefits for cash at a fraction of the value — stores profit without providing food, while recipients obtain cash to use for items ineligible under SNAP.”The store owner, Solanyi Ramos, and three employees, Rafael Jermaine Powell, Wilson Javier Garcia Matteo, and Beatriz Rosario Acosta, are charged with orchestrating a scheme that exchanged SNAP benefits for cash and prohibited items. Three SNAP recipients, Shawn Van-Jeffrey McCoy, Dorothy A. Wilson and Shariah Denise Kiser, are also charged.”OSIG has aggressively pursued SNAP trafficking operations across the Commonwealth. By using sophisticated methods to defraud the SNAP program, these defendants not only stole from taxpayers but also exploited individuals in need. Pennsylvania does not tolerate public assistance fraud,” State Inspector General Michelle A. Henry said in a statement.If convicted, defendants could be ordered to pay restitution to reimburse taxpayers for the stolen public benefits, according to OSIG.SNAP benefits in Pa. | By the numbersNearly 2 million people in Pennsylvania, about 14 percent of the population, receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP.WGAL broke down the number of SNAP recipients in Pennsylvania county-by-county. Tap on or hover over the interactive map below to see which counties have the highest percentages of SNAP recipients as well as the total number of recipients.SNAP spending in Pa. tops $360M a monthEarlier this year, as SNAP benefits were left in the lurch during the federal government shutdown, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro emphasized just much the state spends on benefits.”Understand that we spend $366 million of federal money on those 2 million Pennsylvanians each and every month,” Shapiro said.Report fraudYou can anonymously report suspected welfare fraud on the OSIG website or call the Welfare Fraud Tipline at 1-800-932-0582.

STEELTON, Pa. —

The Pennsylvania Office of State Inspector General and the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office have announced charges against seven people in what they call a “sophisticated SNAP trafficking operation that illegally processed $775,000 in fraudulent transactions.”

The investigation centered on the Quick Stop Convenience Store at 300 Lincoln Street in Steelton.

“The owner is charged with accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits despite being permanently banned from the program,” a statement from the OSIG said. “In SNAP trafficking schemes like this one, stores exchange recipients’ public benefits for cash at a fraction of the value — stores profit without providing food, while recipients obtain cash to use for items ineligible under SNAP.”

The store owner, Solanyi Ramos, and three employees, Rafael Jermaine Powell, Wilson Javier Garcia Matteo, and Beatriz Rosario Acosta, are charged with orchestrating a scheme that exchanged SNAP benefits for cash and prohibited items.

Three SNAP recipients, Shawn Van-Jeffrey McCoy, Dorothy A. Wilson and Shariah Denise Kiser, are also charged.

“OSIG has aggressively pursued SNAP trafficking operations across the Commonwealth. By using sophisticated methods to defraud the SNAP program, these defendants not only stole from taxpayers but also exploited individuals in need. Pennsylvania does not tolerate public assistance fraud,” State Inspector General Michelle A. Henry said in a statement.

If convicted, defendants could be ordered to pay restitution to reimburse taxpayers for the stolen public benefits, according to OSIG.

SNAP benefits in Pa. | By the numbers

Nearly 2 million people in Pennsylvania, about 14 percent of the population, receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP.

WGAL broke down the number of SNAP recipients in Pennsylvania county-by-county. Tap on or hover over the interactive map below to see which counties have the highest percentages of SNAP recipients as well as the total number of recipients.

SNAP spending in Pa. tops $360M a month

Earlier this year, as SNAP benefits were left in the lurch during the federal government shutdown, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro emphasized just much the state spends on benefits.

“Understand that we spend $366 million of federal money on those 2 million Pennsylvanians each and every month,” Shapiro said.

Report fraud

You can anonymously report suspected welfare fraud on the OSIG website or call the Welfare Fraud Tipline at 1-800-932-0582.