Arrests of foreign nationals made in electronic benefit transfer card fraud scheme

LOS ANGELES — On Feb. 1 and 2, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles’ El Camino Real (ECR) Financial Crimes Task Force, alongside the United States Secret Service, California Department of Social Services, United States Marshals Service, United States Attorney’s Office Central District of California, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Los Angeles Sheriff Department, Hermosa Beach Police Department, Baldwin Bark Park Police Department, Culver City Police Department, El Monte Police Department, Inglewood Police Department, Orange County District Attorney Office, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General conducted a large-scale enforcement action at several locations throughout the greater Los Angeles area.

The goal of this operation was to arrest individuals perpetrating access device fraud through unauthorized cash withdrawals from victim Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. This type of fraud victimizes recipients of government sponsored relief programs which are some of our most vulnerable members of the public. During previous operations targeting the same fraud type, the majority of individuals arrested were foreign nationals with no lawful presence in the United States.

In the past year, the California Department of Social Services has reported more than $100 million in stolen funds from California victims’ EBT cards. The majority of illicit cashouts in the past year occurred in Los Angeles County.

For violations of 18 United States Code § 1029 (Access Device Fraud), the ECR Task Force and partners arrested 11 foreign nationals, recovered over 300 cloned EBT cards, and recovered over $30,000 in cash during the two-day operation. One of the suspects in custody had been previously arrested by Romanian law enforcement for murder and aggravated murder in Romania. The suspects arrested were transported to the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Los Angeles for processing, to include identification and immigration status determination for suspects unable to be identified or presenting suspected fictitious identification documents.

Historically, this type of criminal activity has been widely perpetrated by elements of Romanian organized crime who have no legal status in the U.S. or are prior deportees.

Anyone with information regarding fraud related to government sponsored relief programs is encouraged to call the HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP.

Learn more about HSI’s mission to increase public safety in your community on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSILosAngeles.

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.gov)