Ionia County Prosecutor Gail A. Benda’s office has successfully prosecuted one of the first food assistance trafficking cases in Michigan since the state’s Family Independence Agency (FIA) converted food assistance delivery from paper coupons to Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) in June 2000. With EBT, food assistance and cash assistance benefits are electronically transferred to an account accessible through the customer's debit card. This debit card is called the Michigan Bridge Card.

According to FIA Director Marianne Udow, “This event shows how important it is for Michigan Bridge Card holders to protect their Bridge Card and PIN and not share them with anyone. If they feel their PIN has been compromised, any FIA Bridge Card holder can change their PIN number by calling the toll free number listed on the back of the card.”

On Tuesday, March 2, 2004, Melissa Rae Edwards of Ionia was sentenced to 30 days jail time, 24 months of probation, $4,038.90 in fines, court fees and restitution for the theft and trafficking of food assistance benefits. Trafficking means the buying or selling of food assistance benefits for cash or considerations other than food.

A joint investigation between the Family Independence Agency‘s Office of Inspector General (FIA-OIG) and the Ionia Department of Public Safety determined that Ms. Edwards, former manager of an Ionia County store, learned an FIA recipient’s Personal Identification Number (PIN) and Bridge Card number when she helped the customer make her food purchases. Ms. Edwards later used this information to steal from both the customer’s account and the store through multiple fictitious refunds and purchases. According to the store’s owner, a new system has been installed to record food assistance transactions, which will no longer allow these kinds of events to happen.

The theft was discovered by the FIA-OIG as a part of their ongoing analysis of food assistance transactions. FIA-OIG regularly reviews FIA customers’ food assistance transactions to identify potential food assistance trafficking. FIA-OIG will either investigate trafficking allegations or work with local, state and federal agencies to determine if a violation occurred.

Contact:
Gail Benda - Ionia County Prosecuting Attorney -(616) 527-5302