Ghanaian woman pleads guilty to $3.6m fraud in US

A Ghanaian woman based in Worcester, USA, Vida Ofori Causey has pleaded guilty to $3.6 million fraud.

The 45-year-old pleaded guilty to federal court charges in connection with the theft of $3.6 million in food stamp benefits after she allegedly created numerous bank accounts and bought benefits from eligible people for less than full value.

According to masslive.com, she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit SNAP benefits fraud, one count of SNAP fraud and one count of money laundering in U.S. District Court.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts said Causey committed the fraud over four years—and this is how she reportedly did it.

Causey, the owner of J&W Aseda Plaza, a convenience store on Main Street in the city, bought Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) funds from people. Authorities said she paid 50 cents for every SNAP dollar.

The SNAP program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was formerly called the food stamp program which is for low- and no-income people living in the U.S. It is a federal aid program to support the poor—and receivers of SNAP cannot sell, trade or give away their stamp benefits.

SNAP money allows people to buy food at authorized vendors.

Authorities said Causey would instead buy the SNAP dollars at a cheaper price and then have the USDA electronically deposit the money into bank accounts she owned.

After paying 50 cents for a SNAP dollar, Causey would receive the full face value in her accounts.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said she defrauded the USDA out of $3,638,900 in SNAP funds.