EBT Cards for Illegals in the News: Benefits for the poor diverted to help fuel heroin trade

WCVB reports:

Benefits meant for the poor are helping fuel the state’s seemingly bottomless appetite for heroin and other drugs, as drug dealers and users alike use the benefits as an alternative to cash.

Police say cases like those of convicted drug dealer Luis Tejeda and alleged heroin trafficker Juan Gonzalez represent one kind of fraud.


Police say both drug dealers are of Dominican descent, in this country illegally and 5 Investigates’ Kathy Curran discovered they're collecting taxpayer-funded benefits. Both have records of drug charges going back years.

“These situations are outrageous,” said Jeff McCue, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance. “Anything that flies in the face of individuals that are truly eligible to receive this benefit is personally offensive to the department and one that we're taking pretty strong steps to eradicate."

5 Investigates found benefits began to flow to Tejeda and Gonzalez after they were able to obtain licenses from the Registry of Motor Vehicles in identities that police say were not their own.

Police found Gonzalez’ benefits card when he was arrested three months ago during a traffic stop where they also allegedly found four pounds of heroin stashed in mayonnaise jar in his car.

Check out the EBT angle to this story and watch the video report.