A USDA employee and five others face arrest in a massive food stamp fraud scheme worth over $66 million, signaling a broader federal crackdown under the Trump administration. Officials say it’s just the beginning of a national effort to restore accountability in government programs.
Key Facts:
- Six individuals, including USDA employee Arlasa Davis, have been arrested for food stamp fraud involving over $66 million.
- The scheme involved unauthorized EBT cards and fraudulent store applications across the New York area.
- Davis allegedly sold confidential USDA information to the criminals she was meant to investigate.
- Secretary Brooke Rollins stated this is one of the largest fraud stings in USDA history.
- Officials say this is just the beginning of a broader crackdown on federal benefit abuse.
The Rest of The Story:
The fraud dates back to 2019, when Michael Kehoe allegedly orchestrated a network to distribute 160 illegal EBT cards across New York-area stores.
These cards were used to funnel over $30 million in bogus transactions.
According to prosecutors, the network relied on internal USDA access, which came from employee Arlasa Davis.
She is accused of selling sensitive government data to the fraudsters, allowing them to create fake applications, manipulate USDA licenses, and keep unauthorized stores in the system.
U.S. Attorney Perry Carbone emphasized the breach of public trust: “This fraud was made possible when USDA employee Arlasa Davis betrayed the public trust… Their actions undermined a program that vulnerable New Yorkers depend on for basic nutrition.”
USDA employee and five others charged in multimillion-dollar food stamp fraud and bribery scheme @NewYorkFBI @OIGUSDA https://t.co/NRng8ErfzP
— US Attorney SDNY (@SDNYnews) May 29, 2025
Commentary:
This case sends a loud message: the days of unchecked fraud in Washington are over.
President Trump pledged to clean up waste in the federal government, and this sting proves that promise is being kept.
Taxpayer-funded programs must help the truly needy—not become playgrounds for organized theft.
The involvement of a federal employee in the scheme is especially troubling.
Davis wasn’t just negligent—she actively enabled the abuse.
Government workers are supposed to safeguard the public trust, not sell it to criminals for profit.
It’s long past time for consequences.
For too long, corrupt actors within bloated federal programs operated with impunity.
Now, with this sting, there’s a new tone—fraud will be exposed, and the guilty will face real punishment.
Secretary Rollins’ remarks are a welcome shift in tone from past administrations.
Her vow that “this is just the tip of the spear” reflects a zero-tolerance stance on misuse of taxpayer money.
It also serves as a warning: anyone skimming from these programs should expect a knock at the door.
The fact that over $66 million in fraud slipped through the system is alarming.
But it also shows how necessary these audits and enforcement actions are.
This isn’t just one bad apple—it’s a sign of deeper rot that demands reform and aggressive oversight.
When criminals exploit programs like SNAP, it’s not the government that suffers—it’s families who depend on food stamps to feed their kids.
Every dollar stolen is a dollar taken from honest Americans in need.
Cleaning this up isn’t just law enforcement—it’s moral justice.
This is what leadership looks like.
The FBI, DOJ, and USDA working in lockstep to flush out corruption sets a new standard.
Americans deserve confidence that their taxes go where they’re supposed to.
And under this administration, that’s finally starting to happen.
The Bottom Line:
A USDA insider and five co-conspirators stole millions from a critical aid program, but their arrests mark a turning point.
This sting reflects a broader push to root out fraud in federal agencies.
President Trump’s pledge to clean up Washington is moving from rhetoric to results.
Expect more enforcement—and accountability—to follow.
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