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USDA Subpoenas Four States Blocking SNAP Fraud Investigation

Scott McClallen
Scott McClallen  |  June 06, 2026 12:01 PM

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has subpoenaed four state agencies that refused to provide data for their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

USDA Inspector General John Walk issued subpoenas to the state agencies that administer federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds in California, Illinois, Michigan, and New York.

The federal government has been cracking down on fraud in the SNAP program that serves about 41 million people.

Twenty-eight states and the territory of Guam are sharing SNAP data with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The federal agency says it has found about $3 billion worth of likely fraud across the states that submitted data.

The independent federal watchdog requested SNAP participant information to evaluate the quality and integrity of the data states use to determine program eligibility and issue benefits.

These states have refused to provide data responsive to USDA OIG’s initial requests for over a year, allowing potential fraud to continue unchecked.

“Distributing SNAP food assistance is a shared responsibility between USDA and state agencies that administer benefits to local residents” Walk said. “We have a shared obligation to root out program fraud so that assistance is not stolen and reaches Americans who depend on SNAP.”

As part of the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) is exercising its lawful oversight authority to evaluate the administration of SNAP funds at the state level to identify and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.


OIG is assessing the quality and integrity of SNAP participant data for 10 states.

Michigan's SNAP system is stuffed with fraud. From 2023 to 2024, reported fraud spiked by nearly 400%. The state reported about $7.7 million of SNAP fraud in 2025, down from $14 million in 2024.

This year, a Detroit couple was accused of stealing $1.1 million worth of SNAP benefits. In 2023, three Detroiters were charged with stealing $4 million worth of SNAP benefits. 

The USDA is vetting information that states use to validate an individual’s eligibility for food assistance. The reviews allow states to assess the integrity of their SNAP data and ensure funds are distributed to eligible participants, preserving federal assistance for those who need it. 

The USDA has received participant data from six states: Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Florida. The remaining four states continue to refuse OIG’s information requests, preventing OIG from assessing the integrity of the SNAP data. 

“The fight against fraud benefits from federal and local authorities working together,” said Walk. “By refusing disclosure, these four states are actively avoiding transparency required for accountability in federal nutrition assistance programs. Obstructing federal oversight of the SNAP program only helps fraudsters and I call on these states to work with us.”