2026-06-28 08:32 EDT / 福克斯新闻频道
约翰·沃克讲述了南加州一起案件，其中SNAP福利被 allegedly 用于兑换快克可卡因和枪支
阿曼达·马西亚斯 由阿曼达·马西亚斯 福克斯新闻报道
发布于2026年6月28日上午8:32 EDT
[‘SNAP资金被用于购买毒品和枪支’，美国农业部监察官告诉国会]
美国农业部监察长约翰·沃克在众议院监督听证会上警告称，SNAP欺诈已使与恐怖组织、外国敌对势力有关的个人获利。（图片来源：众议院监督委员会）
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美国农业部一名高级监察官周四向国会警告称，补充营养援助计划（SNAP，即食品券项目）中的欺诈行为，使得与恐怖组织、外国敌对势力以及跨国犯罪组织有关的个人能够获取并滥用食品券福利。
此次听证会是特朗普政府和众议院共和党人打击此类金融犯罪、应对这个臃肿的联邦SNAP项目中存在的所谓浪费、欺诈和滥用问题的最新举措。
“SNAP欺诈是一种令人发指的犯罪行为，它浪费了资助该项目的美国纳税人的善意，同时掠夺了那些符合SNAP福利资格、需要用福利养活自己和家人的低收入美国人。”美国农业部监察长约翰·沃克在众议院政府效率落实监督小组委员会上说道。
共和党议员在听证会上就纳税人资助的可口可乐问题向SNAP倡导者施压
2020年3月3日，芝加哥一家Family Dollar商店内的屏幕显示接受SNAP和EBT食品券福利。（丹尼尔·阿克尔/彭博社/盖蒂图片社）
“SNAP欺诈的收益流向了与恐怖组织、外国敌对国家以及跨国犯罪组织有关的个人。”沃克作证道。
共和党人认为，更广泛地获取州资格数据，可以发现数十亿美元更多的不当支付和有组织的犯罪活动，而民主党人则警告称，这一举措可能被用作削减符合资格的美国人食品援助的借口。
周四的听证会上，沃克进一步印证了共和党人的担忧，他描述了针对这个规模约1000亿美元的联邦食品援助项目的日益复杂的诈骗手段。他表示，有组织的犯罪分子通过电子福利转账（EBT）卡盗刷、贩卖活动和身份欺诈，从弱势美国人手中窃取福利。
这位监察长称，这些犯罪行为导致许多合法的弱势受助者没有钱购买食品。
他讲述了本周与一位纽约五个孩子的父亲的谈话，这名男子的SNAP福利在犯罪分子盗刷其EBT卡后被盗。
“我听过很多像这样的受害者的故事，这些父母们。”沃克说，“这也是SNAP欺诈问题至关重要的原因。”
图表展示SNAP的规模——低收入家庭的生命线
2025年11月1日，伊利诺伊州里弗伍兹一家加油站展示的SNAP EBT信息标识。（南·于赫/美联社照片）
沃克还重点介绍了南加州的一起调查，其中SNAP福利被 allegedly 用于兑换现金和快克可卡因。
根据他的证词，帮派成员随后用欺诈所得购买了枪支。
“我再重复一遍。”沃克说，“SNAP资金，也就是联邦税收资金，被用于购买毒品和枪支。”
沃克的证词凸显了周四听证会的核心焦点，众议院共和党人认为，监督和数据共享方面的漏洞，导致该国食品券项目中数十亿美元的纳税人资金因欺诈和滥用而流失。
小组委员会主席、田纳西州共和党众议员蒂姆·伯切特称，美国农业部官员利用参与州提交的数据，发现了约30亿美元的潜在欺诈和浪费。一些例子包括，福利据称被发放给18.6万名已故人士、44.2万名使用虚假社会安全号码的申请者，以及系统中数十万名重复受助者。
他还批评21个州拒绝向美国农业部提供索要的SNAP数据，称参与度不足使联邦官员无法识别更多欺诈行为。
农业部长要求明尼苏达州立即修复试点项目下4个县的SNAP福利
田纳西州共和党众议员蒂姆·伯切特批评21个州拒绝向美国农业部提供索要的SNAP数据。（安娜·穆尼梅克/盖蒂图片社）
“如果食品券受助者的数据仍留在州级数据库中，个人就可能在多个州申请并领取福利。”伯切特说。
沃克表示，调查人员也面临同样的挑战，他认为，获取州级受助者数据的限制，使得在纳税人资金支出前难以发现欺诈行为。
“我们不能一边发放资金一边追着解决SNAP欺诈问题。”他说，“我们需要把好前门。”
这位监察长还警告称，犯罪分子可以在短短7秒内安装EBT卡盗刷设备，让窃贼能够复制福利卡，并在每月福利到账后立即清空账户。
虽然共和党人专注于欺诈预防和更严格的监督，但民主党人认为，这次听证会有可能将行政错误描绘成故意欺诈，并为SNAP在养活弱势美国人方面的作用辩护。
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6399399275112
食品研究与行动中心SNAP政策与倡导主任吉娜·普拉塔-尼诺表示，有组织的EBT福利盗窃是一个严重问题，但提醒议员们不要将支付错误与欺诈混为一谈。
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“项目诚信与食品获取并非相互竞争的目标。”普拉塔-尼诺作证道。
此次听证会召开之际，特朗普政府已将根除联邦福利项目中的欺诈列为优先事项，伯切特认为，更多州的合作可以发现SNAP项目中更多的滥用行为。
阿曼达·马西亚斯报道商业、经济与政治的交叉领域，重点关注政策决策如何塑造市场、企业和美国工人。
SNAP food stamp fraud has nefarious terrorism links, top Agriculture watchdog warns Congress
2026-06-28 08:32 EDT / Fox News
John Walk described a Southern California case where SNAP benefits were allegedly exchanged for crack cocaine and guns
Amanda Macias By Amanda Macias Fox News
Published June 28, 2026 8:32am EDT
[‘SNAP dollars used to buy drugs and guns,’ USDA watchdog tells Congress]
USDA Inspector General John Walk warns SNAP fraud has benefited individuals linked to terrorist groups and foreign adversaries during House oversight hearing. (Credit: House Committee on Oversight)
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A top Agriculture Department watchdog warned Congress on Thursday that fraud in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has allowed individuals linked to terrorist groups, foreign adversaries and transnational criminal organizations to access and abuse food stamps.
The hearing marked the latest push by the Trump administration and House Republicans to crack down on these financial crimes and address the alleged waste, fraud and abuse in the bloated federal SNAP program.
“SNAP fraud is a reprehensible crime that squanders the compassion of American taxpayers who fund the program and robs from those low-income Americans who qualify for SNAP benefits to feed themselves and their families,” USDA Inspector General John Walk told the House Oversight Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency.
GOP LAWMAKER PRESSES SNAP ADVOCATE OVER TAXPAYER-FUNDED COCA-COLA DURING HEARING
A screen inside a Family Dollar store in Chicago displays that SNAP and EBT food stamp benefits are accepted, on March 3, 2020.(Daniel Acker/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
“Proceeds of SNAP fraud have gone to individuals linked to terrorist groups, foreign adversary nations and transnational criminal organizations,” Walk testified.
Republicans argued that broader access to state eligibility data could uncover billions more in improper payments and organized criminal activity, while Democrats warned the effort could be used to justify cuts to food assistance for eligible Americans.
Walk, during Thursday’s hearing, seemed to further feed into Republicans’ concerns as he described increasingly sophisticated schemes targeting the roughly $100 billion federal food assistance program. He said organized criminals are stealing benefits from vulnerable Americans through electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card skimming, trafficking operations and identity fraud.
The inspector general said the crimes leave many legitimate vulnerable recipients without money to buy food.
He recounted speaking this week with a New York father of five whose SNAP benefits were stolen after criminals skimmed his EBT card.
“I have heard many stories from victims like these working moms and dads,” Walk said. “They’re why SNAP fraud matters.”
CHARTS ILLUSTRATE THE SCALE OF SNAP, A LIFELINE FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
A SNAP EBT information sign is displayed at a gas station in Riverwoods, Ill., on Nov. 1, 2025.(Nam Y. Huh/AP Photo)
Walk also highlighted a Southern California investigation in which SNAP benefits were allegedly exchanged for cash and crack cocaine.
According to his testimony, gang members then used proceeds from the fraud to purchase firearms.
“I’ll just repeat that,” Walk said. “SNAP dollars, federal tax dollars, used to buy drugs and guns.”
Walk’s testimony underscored the focus of Thursday’s hearing, where House Republicans argued that gaps in oversight and data sharing have allowed billions of taxpayer dollars to be lost to fraud and abuse within the nation’s food stamp program.
The subcommittee’s chairman, Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., claimed that Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials identified roughly $3 billion in potential fraud and waste using data submitted by participating states. Some examples included benefits allegedly being sent to 186,000 deceased individuals, 442,000 applicants with fraudulent Social Security numbers and hundreds of thousands of duplicate recipients in the system.
He also criticized 21 states for declining to provide requested SNAP data to the USDA, arguing the lack of participation prevents federal officials from identifying additional fraud.
AGRICULTURE SECRETARY DEMANDS MINNESOTA FIX SNAP BENEFITS FOR 4 COUNTIES IMMEDIATELY UNDER PILOT PROGRAM
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., criticized 21 states for declining to provide requested SNAP data to the Agriculture Department.(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“If food stamp recipients’ data stays in state-specific databases, individuals may apply for and receive benefits from multiple states,” Burchett said.
Walk said investigators face the same challenge, arguing that limited access to state recipient data makes it difficult to detect fraud before taxpayer dollars are spent.
“We cannot pay and chase our way to stopping SNAP fraud,” he said. “We need to guard the front door.”
The inspector general also warned that criminals can install EBT card skimming devices in as little as seven seconds, allowing thieves to clone benefit cards and drain accounts as soon as monthly benefits are deposited.
While Republicans focused on fraud prevention and tighter oversight, Democrats argued the hearing risked portraying administrative errors as intentional fraud and defended SNAP’s role in feeding vulnerable Americans.
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6399399275112
Food Research and Action Center Director of SNAP Policy and Advocacy Gina Plata-Nino said organized theft of EBT benefits poses a serious problem but cautioned lawmakers against confusing payment errors with fraud.
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“Program integrity and food access are not competing goals,” Plata-Nino testified.
The hearing comes as the Trump administration has prioritized rooting out fraud across federal benefit programs, with Burchett arguing additional state cooperation could uncover even more abuse within SNAP.
Amanda Macias covers the intersection of business, economics and politics, with a focus on how policy decisions shape markets, businesses and American workers.
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