The County Grand Jury said the County Human Services Department isn’t cooperating with the District Attorney’s Office in prosecution of welfare fraud cases. In their recently released report, the Grand Jury noted, “We learned from the District Attorney’s Office they are not able to prosecute cases, as they have been in the past, because they do not get cooperation from the Human Services Department who can provide the evidence needed.” The Grand Jury targeted how the Human Services Department dealt with prosecutors in their investigations and prosecutions of cases involving EBT card fraud. Similar to ATM cards, EBT cards are used for cash benefits or to electronically purchase food. An epidemic of EBT card fraud, in which people are selling their cards for cash, has swept the nation, prompting law enforcement to team up with state and federal agencies to crack down on offenders. One of the most popular ways cards are being sold is via popular Internet auction and classified ad websites such as Craigslist and eBay. The Grand Jury said that the District Attorney’s Office invited members of the Human Services Public Integrity Division to participate in a warrant sweep in connection with roughly 850 cases, but Human Services was unwilling to participate.
