PHILADELPHIA, PA — This week, a Philadelphia woman was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for orchestrating a scheme to defraud the U.S. government of nearly $2 million through fraudulent transactions involving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Jenny Espinal Tejada, 34, was also ordered by United States District Court Judge Joshua D. Wolson to pay $1,841,402 in restitution and forfeit the proceeds of her criminal activities.
Espinal Tejada’s scheme exploited vulnerabilities in the SNAP system by misusing merchant identification numbers assigned to authorized stores. Although her small corner grocery store in Philadelphia was not approved to participate in the federal food assistance program, she gained access by misappropriating legitimate identifiers. Once inside the system, she orchestrated fraudulent transactions, including the illegal exchange of SNAP benefits for cash at her store.
The charges against Espinal Tejada were filed in July of last year through a superseding indictment. She pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of wire fraud and one count of defrauding SNAP. The sentencing reflects the severity of the defendant’s abuse of a program designed to support low-income individuals and families with food security.
“Espinal Tejada sought to profit illicitly from the SNAP program, diverting nearly $2 million of the USDA’s money,” said United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. “On behalf of the folks who rely on these resources every day — and the taxpayers who fund the programs — we and our partners will continue to prosecute abuses like this and ensure that those who commit them are held appropriately accountable.”
Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG), emphasized the importance of safeguarding one of the nation’s most critical assistance programs. “SNAP was created to provide food and nutrition to those who truly need this assistance,” Parker said. “This joint investigation identified those who sought to profit from SNAP through illegal schemes. We are thankful to our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners and will continue to dedicate investigative resources in order to protect the integrity of these programs and bring those who commit fraud to justice.”
Espinal Tejada’s sentencing follows a thorough investigation conducted by the USDA-OIG, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Abrams spearheaded the prosecution, spotlighting the collaborative effort to address and deter fraudulent activities targeting public programs.
This case stands as a stark reminder of the critical need to uphold the integrity of federal assistance programs. By successfully prosecuting fraudulent actions, officials seek to restore and maintain public trust in systems that millions of Americans rely on for basic needs. Moving forward, the Department of Justice and its partners stated they remain committed to identifying and prosecuting those who exploit government programs for personal gain.
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