{"id":58379,"date":"2025-02-05T20:53:29","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T04:53:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=58379"},"modified":"2025-02-05T20:53:29","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T04:53:29","slug":"five-europeans-arrested-in-operation-targeting-fraudulent-withdrawal-of-benefits-for-low-income-families","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=58379","title":{"rendered":"Five Europeans Arrested in Operation Targeting Fraudulent Withdrawal of Benefits for Low-Income Families"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0LOS ANGELES\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"brown<\/p>\n

A multi-agency law enforcement operation led to the arrest of five illegal aliens accused of using skimmed electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card data to create counterfeit cards and steal funds intended for low-income Californians, federal officials announced\u00a0 Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\n

Three of the defendants have been ordered detained without bond, and two of the five defendants arrested on Sunday are expected to make their initial appearances in United States District Court today.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the operation on Sunday, approximately 70 law enforcement officers began monitoring ATM locations across the Los Angeles area to identify individuals who were making multiple cash withdrawals with cards encoded with information that had been stolen from cards used by the California Department of Social Services (DSS) to provide CalFresh and CalWORKs benefits to qualified recipients.<\/span><\/p>\n

Authorities made arrests after determining that the suspects making ATM withdrawals were not entitled to access funds that had been deposited into accounts belonging to legitimate EBT beneficiaries.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Two\u201cThis successful operation targeted transnational criminal organizations that have been stealing from our less fortunate neighbors and the taxpayers,\u201d said HSI Los Angeles Acting Special Agent in Charge John Pasciucco. \u201cHSI Los Angeles and our partners will work day and night to ensure that this help continues to be available to those who need it most, and not in the pockets of greedy criminals.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Late Monday, federal prosecutors filed three criminal complaints charging the five defendants with the use of unauthorized access devices (the cards with stolen EBT account numbers and PINs used to make the cash withdrawals). <\/span><\/p>\n

he defendants arrested Sunday allegedly made unauthorized withdrawals, obtaining as much as $25,480. The defendants named across three criminal complaints are:<\/span><\/p>\n