Nadine Jean Baptiste and Daughter Charged in $191K SNAP Fraud
A Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) supervisor, Nadine Jean Baptiste, 57, of Warwick, has been arrested for allegedly committing a large-scale benefits fraud. Along with her daughter, Octavia Jean Baptiste, 27, the two are accused of using stolen personal information to access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and using them to buy groceries.
According to U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha, the mother-daughter duo fraudulently accessed hundreds of EBT cards, totaling more than $191,000 in stolen benefits. The scheme was uncovered in September 2023 after complaints from SNAP recipients about missing EBT cards prompted an internal audit by the Rhode Island Office of Internal Audit.
Nadine Jean Baptiste, a long-time employee of the DHS, had full access to the EBT card printing system at her office in Providence. From January 2020 to July 2024, she reportedly used her position to steal personal information from SNAP recipients, changing PINs and using the stolen cards to make purchases. Investigators revealed that Nadine made over 1,800 inquiries on 408 EBT cards, while her daughter, Octavia, made more than 300 inquiries on 95 cards.
Surveillance footage from June to August 2023 reportedly shows Nadine using 16 different EBT cards to make over $2,000 in purchases at multiple stores. Some of the victims included vulnerable individuals such as children and people who were homeless or incarcerated at the time of the theft. One case even involved an 8-year-old child whose benefits were stolen while his identity was used in Rhode Island, though he was living in Florida.
Both Nadine and Octavia Jean Baptiste face multiple federal charges, including aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, illegal acquisition or use of SNAP benefits, and conspiracy. They appeared in court on Tuesday and were released on unsecured bond.
The Rhode Island DHS has urged SNAP beneficiaries to report any suspected fraudulent activity and reminded users to frequently change their PINs and monitor their accounts closely. They emphasized that DHS will never ask for personal PINs or EBT card numbers.
