ALBUQUERQUE – Barber Joshua Moya, 33, has copped to his role in a sordid food stamp fraud ring that bilked thousands from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Moya’s guilty plea today marks another blow to the notorious operation, which authorities say defrauded the government out of tens of thousands of dollars. Under the plea deal, Moya faces six months behind bars followed by supervised release and is on the hook for $2,444 in restitution.
The grim details of the scheme emerged from a 32-count indictment filed against six Albuquerque residents in 2014. The charges accused Joseph Martin Padilla, 33, along with Moya, Sergio Escobedo, 36, Veronica Hernandez, 44, Justin Quintana, 28, and Wilfredo Lopez, 46, of conspiring to defraud the U.S. through the unauthorized use of SNAP benefits.
Padilla, a former Family Assistance Analyst for New Mexico’s Income Support Division, was accused of exploiting his position to establish fraudulent SNAP accounts. He allegedly used personal identifiers from his co-defendants to create these fake accounts, often in exchange for cash or other valuables. Padilla is also alleged to have fraudulently obtained nearly $1,500 in benefits for himself.
Moya’s guilty plea today centers on Count 31 of the indictment. He admitted that Padilla, a state employee, approached him while he worked at an Albuquerque barber shop and provided him with an application for SNAP benefits. Moya, knowing full well that he was not entitled to such assistance, completed the application and received $866 in fraudulent benefits. He also acknowledged giving another application to a relative, who unlawfully obtained $1,578.
Padilla and his four co-defendants have all entered not guilty pleas, leaving Moya as the first to face justice for this brazen scheme.
Related Federal Cases
- Albuquerque Man Cops to SNAP Fraud Scheme · New Mexico
- Albuquerque Contractor Joseph Dubois Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion, Fraud · New Mexico
- Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft · Colorado
- Albuquerque Drug Kingpin Pleads Guilty to Cocaine, Money Laundering · New Mexico
- Verdream Sentenced for Albuquerque Bank Heist · New Mexico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News