Federal agents executed criminal search warrants at two Twin Cities stores Thursday as part of probe into fraud of SNAP benefits, more commonly known as food stamps.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says 18 other states were part of the investigation and issued administrative charging letters.
According to USDA inspector general John Walz, people are using the benefits to get cash.
"Bring the card into the store and instead of buying an eligible food item, which is what Snap is for, they exchange the benefits of that card for cash, for money," Walz explains. "And then the retailer will take that money on the card, spend it."
Officials would not say which stores were targeted, and how the stolen funds were used.
Walz says fraudulent SNAP retailers steal from victims, including children that rely on the funds.
"Responsible adult, whether it be parent or guardian or trafficking the funds, it's actually that child that's that's going to suffer from it," Walz adds. "Because the food benefits will never reach that child."
The operation reportedly began in February. About 440,000 Minnesotans rely on the SNAP program.
