New York — A former U.S. Department of Agriculture employee has been sentenced to federal prison for her role in a massive fraud and bribery scheme that exploited the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), federal prosecutors announced.
Sean S. Buckley, acting under authority conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, said Arlasa Davis was sentenced to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery. The sentence was imposed by Jed S. Rakoff.
According to court filings, Davis abused her position within the USDA division responsible for identifying SNAP fraud by selling confidential Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) license numbers to co-conspirators. Prosecutors said the scheme generated more than $66 million in unauthorized SNAP transactions.
Investigators determined that Davis photographed handwritten lists of EBT license numbers with her personal cellphone and routed them through an intermediary, who sold the information to criminal groups. Those groups then used the stolen license numbers to fraudulently obtain EBT terminals for stores not authorized to process SNAP benefits. In exchange, Davis received bribes disguised as “birthday gifts” and “flowers” in communications.
“Arlasa Davis exploited her role as a government employee to enrich herself while undermining a program designed to help New York families in need,” Buckley said in a statement. “This conviction and sentence send a clear message that exploitation of funds intended for families will result in serious consequences.”
In addition to the prison term, Davis, 56, of Gardiner, New York, was sentenced to two years of supervised release. She was also ordered to forfeit $48,470 and pay $36 million in restitution.
Buckley credited the investigation to the USDA Office of Inspector General and the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the General Crimes Unit, led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Georgia V. Kostopoulos and Joe Zabel.
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Only 2 yrs for 66 million in fraud? Sign me up!
Don\’t think being involved in stealing 66 million from the United States and only getting 2yrs in prison as a equal sentence. 33 million a year is good pay for a thief.