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Four Women Accused of Stealing $8 Million in Food Stamps
By
Garth Johnston
Published Dec 9, 2010
Modified Dec 9, 2010
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By
Garth Johnston
Published Dec 9, 2010
Modified Dec 9, 2010
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Another day, another depressing story about people stealing from the needy. A week after Marque Gumbs was busted for allegedly stealing millions in printer toner from a cancer hospital, comes the story of four women (three of whom are or had been city employees) accused of stealing $8 million in food stamps.
Like most scams this one, as described by the prosecutor, was not that complicated. Human Resources Administration employee Vanee Sykes had the job of determining which food stamp applicants were eligible—so she started approving food stamps for people who didn't exist. She would send them to addresses obtained by a non-city worker named Alice Bradford who would then sell the stamps and split the cash with Sykes. Also named in the suit are Tori Jackson, who worked at the Administration from 2001 through 2010 and allegedly processed more fake addresses and social security numbers as part of the scheme, and Lois Johnson, a 30-year-veteran of the Administration whose Post Office box received many more of the fraudulent stamps.
The city began looking into the defendants' actions after another city worker complained. All four women were released on bonds after appearing in court yesterday.
Tagged
embezzlement
food stamps
human resources administration
theft
Garth Johnston
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