8 charged with fraudulently obtaining $177K in CalFresh, CalWORKs benefits: LA DA
$177K in CalFresh, CalWORKs benefits stolen: LA DA
Eight people face charges in six Los Angeles County cases for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $177,000 in CalWORKs and CalFresh benefits. The district attorney’s office has filed more than 340 cases this year alleging $4.8 million in losses from public benefits fraud and perjury.
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has charged eight individuals across six recently filed cases for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $177,000 in public benefits meant for low-income residents, officials announced Thursday.
The charges involve fraudulent claims for CalWORKs and CalFresh benefits, programs designed to help vulnerable families afford essential living expenses such as food, housing and utilities.
What we know:
According to L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, the accused repeatedly committed perjury on their applications and recertifications to secure benefits they were not entitled to receive. Combined, the eight defendants are accused of fraudulently taking over $177,000.
"They’re lying, cheating, and stealing to get this public assistance money," Hochman said during a news conference while emphasizing that the majority of recipients rely on the system legitimately. "I want to emphasize that the overwhelming number of recipients of this public assistance money legitimately obtain it."
Hochman detailed specific instances of a defendant allegedly ripping off the system.
"It turns out that during this time, she had investment accounts with a monthly balance ranging from $60,000 to over $1 million," Hochman noted. "Yet she stated, under penalty of perjury, that she did not have any money in the bank."
The announcement comes as part of a broader crackdown by the DA’s office, which has filed more than 340 cases this year alleging $4.8 million in government losses because of fraud and perjury committed by public benefits recipients.
Protecting against EBT card skimming
In addition to applicant fraud, the District Attorney’s Office highlighted another threat: fraudsters targeting legitimate benefit recipients through EBT card skimming.
Hochman warned that thieves use skimmers installed at ATMs and retail point-of-sale terminals to steal PINs and empty accounts before recipients can buy basic necessities.
"They basically go ahead and rip off the EBT card itself, often with EBT skimmers," Hochman said. "But to the fraudsters, beware: We’re going to come after you," he later added.
The LA County District Attorney’s Office shared tips to protect your EBT benefits from skimming:
- Check your EBT balance after each purchase.
- Change your PIN the day before your benefits become available each month.
- Cover your hand when typing in your PIN.
- Use the tap-to-pay electronic chip and only swipe the magnetic stripe as a last resort.
- Download the California ebtEDGE mobile app, where you can reset your PIN, view your transactions, freeze your card, block transactions and more.