David Quinones, SNAP Fraud, Illinois 2026

Chicago Man Sentenced to 4 Years for SNAP Benefits Scam

A Chicago man has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining more than $1.5 million in benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

David Quinones, 45, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to a federal wire fraud charge. On March 9, 2026, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger sentenced Quinones to four years and four months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $1,554,804 in restitution to the government.

From 2018 to 2023, Quinones gave cash or other items to SNAP recipients in exchange for access to their Link cards. He used the cards to purchase various goods at authorized retail stores, fraudulently representing himself as the authorized user of the cards. He then re-sold most of the goods, keeping the proceeds for himself.

According to the government, Quinones used more than 1,200 cards and fraudulently caused the USDA to pay out approximately $1,554,804 in SNAP benefits.

The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Shantel R. Robinson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.

The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly.

Quinones’ sentence serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting federal benefit programs from those who would seek to exploit them for personal gain.

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