Earnest Morant, SNAP Benefits Fraud Conspiracy, Pennsylvania 2022

⏱ 2 min read

A brazen scheme to rip off the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has landed two men in hot water. Randy Welch, 46, of Michigan, and Earnest Morant, 58, of Harrisburg, are accused of conspiring to submit phony SNAP benefits applications and exchange the electronic benefits transfer cards for cash.

Welch allegedly obtained thousands of people’s personal info and used it to file fake SNAP applications with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Morant received many of the fake EBT cards at his Harrisburg home and mailed them to other accomplices, who sold them for cash.

The scam is believed to have taken place over several years, with Welch and Morant reaping a tidy profit from the stolen benefits. The two defendants now face serious charges, including conspiracy to commit SNAP benefits fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice praised the efforts of federal agencies involved in the investigation, which highlight the ongoing struggle to combat fraud and abuse in taxpayer-funded programs.

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