David Quinones, a 44-year-old Chicago resident, has pleaded guilty in federal court to fraudulently obtaining over $1.5 million in benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois announced on Thursday.
Quinones admitted to wire fraud, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. SNAP, a program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in partnership with state governments, is designed to combat hunger and food insecurity by providing eligible individuals and families with access to food, nutrition, and education.
Between 2018 and 2023, Quinones exploited the system by giving cash or other goods to SNAP recipients in exchange for access to their Link cards and associated identification numbers. These Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards are used to pay for eligible food items at authorized retail stores.
Quinones then used the cards to make purchases, fraudulently representing himself as the authorized user. He resold most of the goods purchased with the benefits, keeping the profits for himself. The U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed that Quinones used over 1,200 Link cards, resulting in approximately $1.55 million in SNAP benefits being fraudulently obtained.
