Two Orlando residents were arrested Wednesday for their roles in an extensive public assistance fraud scheme, according to Florida CFO Jeff Atwater.
Eurick Fenot Jr. and Quinteria Williams were arrested on accusations they filed hundreds of online applications for public assistance benefits using stolen identities. The pair is accused of receiving almost $200,000 in food stamp benefits.
Officials said it is part of a yearlong investigation known as "Operation Cash for Cards," involving both vendors and recipients of food stamps and EBT.
Eurick Fenot Jr. and Quinteria Williams were arrested on accusations they filed hundreds of online applications for public assistance benefits using stolen identities. The pair is accused of receiving almost $200,000 in food stamp benefits.
Officials said it is part of a yearlong investigation known as "Operation Cash for Cards," involving both vendors and recipients of food stamps and EBT.
"Two criminals found themselves exactly where they belong and that’s behind bars. By stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in public assistance benefits, they’ve stolen from the state of Florida and from every Florida taxpayer whose tax dollars support critical safety net programs," Atwater said. "With their arrests, I hope a message is sent to other criminals who may wish to engage in similar crimes. Florida will not tolerate fraud in any shape or form.”
A subsequent investigation uncovered a scam in with Fenot and Williams completed nearly 800 applications using the identities of more than 650 different people, officials said.
Officials said the two used a network of Orlando area addresses to collect their cards and later used Los Primos, an Apopka grocery store, to convert their electronic benefits into cash.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture launched an investigation into the grocery store.
Fenot and Williams have been charged with public assistance fraud, organized scheme to defraud, criminal use of personal identification information, grand theft of more than $100,000, aggravated white collar crime and racketeering.
Fenot and Williams could each face up to 30 years in prison if convicted. They remain in jail on a nebia hold, which means they have to prove the money they use to post bail is not stolen.
Cox Media Group
