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11 arrested in EBT fraud scheme ring targeting vulnerable people in Seattle’s CID

SEATTLE — Seattle police are continuing their investigation into a multi-group crime ring that targeted those experiencing homelessness and addiction in the Chinatown-International District (CID).

According to SPD, suspects offered cash payments—often a fraction of the benefits’ value—in exchange for EBT purchases.

The tips came in sometime in May, and since July, SPD officers have done surveillance in areas like 12th and Jackson in the CID to get intel on the trafficking and fraud ring.

Per SPD, they found two common schemes:

Scheme one:

“We observed suspects walking through groups of unsheltered individuals asking who had an EBT card with money on it,” Capt. Garth Green said. “They [suspects] would then take that person to a store with a shopping list.”

Suspects would pay EBT card holders’ in cash for the food and household goods. The suspects would then buy the items off EBT cardholders at a discount. In some cases, they paid 50% less than the original cost.

The crime ring would then sell the food and household items to restaurants and businesses in King and Snohomish counties or to other individuals.

Scheme two:

“They [suspects} would walk through a group and ask who had EBT cards. They would then purchase the cards directly from the person. If they had $200 on card, they’d buy it for $100,” said Capt. Garth Green.

Once the suspects had the EBT cards, and the pin codes associated with each card, they’d use them to purchase food and household goods.

The goods would, again, be sold to restaurants, businesses, and private individuals in King and Snohomish counties.

Capt. Garth Green said that suspects worked in shifts with a morning crew, an afternoon crew, and an evening crew.

The shifts worked independently and didn’t split the food, household goods, or EBT cards but were aware of what the other shifts were doing, SPD said.

Officers found that crime ring members partnered up with drug traffickers to let them know who was paid in cash.

Drug dealers then targeted those vulnerable individuals, SPD said,

SPD has identified 18 suspects in this scheme. Eleven have been arrested and seven more are still being sought

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