TAMPA, Fla. — More than a dozen Florida families have reported stolen SNAP benefits connected to a single address in Glendale, California to the Tampa Bay 28 I-Team. A majority of the purchases, the I-Team discovered — are for baby formula, which is known to be resold on the black market.
Florida families lose SNAP benefits to fraud as detectives in California open investigation
Victims described the financial toll of the theft.
"We still haven't had all of our bills covered this month because of this. It's either eat or pay bills," Shayna Houser Parra told the I-Team.
WATCH: Thieves stealing SNAP benefits from Florida families are using the tax dollars to buy baby formula
Others described the frustration of trying to secure their accounts without success.
"I've went through three cards. The locks, the canceling of the card, the changing my PIN — nothing worked, because they're just messing with it over and over again," Cheyanne Smith said.
Baby formula tied to the fraud
In July, one of the Florida victims posted the address the SNAP fraud is tied to in a Facebook group for DoorDash drivers in California. Someone responded, writing: "I've delivered formula there like 2 or 3 times and each time it's like 5-7 cans. Usually a lady comes and gets it or I leave it at the gate."
After reaching out to DoorDash multiple times, since the grocery orders were delivered through that platform, the I-Team confirmed that nearly all of the purchases being made at the Glendale, California address are for baby formula — a commodity with a well-documented black market.
A sampling of recent cases help to illustrate the scope of the problem:
- Last year, 19 people were charged in Oregon for stealing SNAP cards around the country and "using the money to purchase baby formula which was then sold on the black market."
- In California, a woman was arrested for fraudulent SNAP card transactions. Deputies then recovered more than 100 cases of baby formula last year.
- In May, a California couple was sentenced to federal prison for helping coordinate the shipping of stolen baby formula worth more than $2 million.
A DoorDash spokesperson told the I-Team the company is responding to the investigation.
"We are actively investigating this issue and are prepared to cooperate with law enforcement requests to assist their investigation and help resolve the issue for these families."
State response criticized as insufficient
The I-Team has also contacted the Florida Department of Children and Families, Florida's Chief Financial Officer, the State Attorney General's Office, the FBI, the USDA and the Glendale Police Department.
The Glendale Police Department said it has received more calls from Florida law enforcement agencies since the I-Team's previous report, as its investigation continues.
DCF has given no indication it is doing anything to investigate the fraud, instead directing people to contact law enforcement and increase the security on their accounts, saying the agency is "actively working to further strengthen safeguards for recipients."
Records show the U.S. Government Accountability Office also wanted to know what is being done to prevent SNAP benefit theft. However, there is no requirement for state agencies to report data on stolen benefits to the federal government. That authority ended in 2024, along with the Stolen SNAP Benefits Program that reimbursed victims of fraud — meaning the benefits stolen from families will not be returned.
Victims say the state's response falls short.
"We're not the only people and the state's not wanting to help us, so my question is — why is the state just so willing to lose money?" Houser Parra said.
What SNAP recipients can do
DCF says SNAP recipients can visit a Department Family Resource Center to add a security code to their account, which is separate from their PIN. Families in contact with the I-Team say the added security code, so far, has been effective.
DCF also recommends updating to the latest version of the app ebtEDGE to access the newest security features.
Share Your Story with Kylie
Kylie McGivern works tirelessly to get results for the people of Tampa Bay. Her reporting has exposed flaws in Florida’s corrections system and unemployment process. Reach out to Kylie and our I-Team if you need help holding state leaders accountable.
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