Chicago man admits to $1.5M SNAP fraud, faces up to 20 years in prison

CHICAGO - A Chicago man faces up to 20 years in federal prison after admitting to fraudulently collecting more than $1.5 million in benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

What we know:

On Tuesday, 44-year-old David Quinones appeared before U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger and pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud as part of a plea deal, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois.

From 2018 to 2023, Quinones told the court he gave cash and other items to SNAP recipients in exchange for using their Link cards along with their associated identification numbers.

Quinones then used the cards to make purchases from authorized SNAP retail stores, posing as the authorized cardholder, prosecutors said. He resold most of the goods and kept the proceeds for himself.

In total, Quinones admitted to fraudulently using more than 1,200 SNAP cards, causing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to pay out approximately $1,554,804 in benefits.

SNAP recipients can now use their benefits to purchase groceries online at Jewel-Osco, giving families and individuals, especially those with mobility issues, greater access to fresh food. (Tim Boyle/Getty Images / Getty Images)

What is SNAP?

SNAP is a federal benefit program administered by the USDA in conjunction with state governments. The program is intended to provide nutritional benefits to supplement the food budgets of eligible individuals and families.

Retail stores authorized to participate in SNAP can accept SNAP benefits through EBT cards, also known as Link cards, as payment for eligible food items.

It is illegal for stores or individuals to exchange Link cards for cash or other items.

What's next:

Judge Seeger set Quinones' sentencing date for June 18, the statement said.