Justice Department Charges 2 SNAP Fraud Cases Under Trump’s 25-Case Push
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 14
Justice Department Charges 2 SNAP Fraud Cases Under Trump’s 25-Case Push
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 14
Summary
Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles charged Santa Ana food truck owner Esmeralda Soriano and cashier Jesse Cervantes-Gomez in separate SNAP fraud cases, extending the Trump administration’s new focus on small-dollar fraud.
Soriano’s truck redeemed more than $600,000 in food stamp benefits over a year, while Cervantes-Gomez allegedly took $9,559.04 in SNAP payments and returned $4,810 in cash to undercover ICE agents.
The cases reflect a White House-directed anti-fraud campaign overseen by Vice President JD Vance, with Justice Department officials telling prosecutors each assistant U.S. attorney should keep at least 25 open cases.
Judges released both U.S. citizen defendants on $5,000 bond after prosecutors sought detention, underscoring criticism that federal resources are being shifted toward cases that local authorities once handled.
That shift comes even as white-collar prosecutions have fallen to 4,747 since Trump’s second term began through May, down from 5,554 in the same span under Biden.