AG Secretary Brooke Rollins Announces Vast ‘Operation SNAP Back,’ Striking Almost 200 NYC Stores

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins announced, “Operation SNAP Back,” the latest all-of-government action to root out the fraud, waste, and abuse in this government program which is meant to assist low-income families.

Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) announced a sweeping crackdown on fraudulent SNAP retailers—bodegas, convenience stores, and grocery stores—across New York’s five boroughs. This investigation, dubbed Operation SNAP Back, included hundreds of undercover investigations leading to action against 170 retailers.

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🚨OPERATION SNAP BACK: New York

SNAP fraud across New York City just got confronted head on.@USDA investigators went into all FIVE boroughs, conducting hundreds of undercover investigations into bodegas, convenience stores, and grocery stores suspected of abusing the program.…— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) September 18, 2026

OPERATION SNAP BACK: New York

SNAP fraud across New York City just got confronted head on.

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This is about protecting two groups of people: families who rely on SNAP to put food on the table — and the hardworking taxpayers who fund it.

Since the start of the Trump Administration, we have already:

➡️ Stopped more than $5.8 BILLION in fraud

➡️ Suspended or disqualified nearly 6,000 retailers

➡️ Disabled or blocked more than 2,000 illegal point-of-sale devices

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This is just the tip of the iceberg. The Restaurant Meals Program (RMP), an offshoot of the SNAP program, is also rife with abuse.

The Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) is a special benefits program that allows certain SNAP recipients to purchase prepared meals at restaurants or fast food chains using their EBT card.

The restaurant program is meant to support people who are unable to make their own meals or who may not have permanent housing where food can be stored. Here’s what you need to know about the SNAP Restaurant Meals Program and how to find restaurants near you that accept EBT.

Not surprising, this RMP/SNAP abuse is occurring mostly in blue states, to the tune of $524 million.

More than half a billion dollars in SNAP benefits have gone to restaurants through this loophole in just two years while the Trump administration is working to get junk food out of the program.”

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And of course, as the fraud exposed in the Medicare and Medicaid programs in this state, California leads the way in this form of fraud too.

Meanwhile… Governor Newsom’s state of California has a CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) that allows fast food restaurants to take EBT, the electronic system used to deliver SNAP benefits.

In California, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is the state… pic.twitter.com/aUnfpw4W4E— Leigh Marcotte (@labtechleigh) March 12, 2026

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The NYPost piece, linked above, continued with the massive amount being wasted in CA:

Of the states enrolled, California spent the most on restaurants ($475 million), followed by Arizona ($41.4 million) and New York ($3.6 million).

On Wednesday, before the House recessed ahead of the November midterm elections, Republican Rep. Brandon Gill (TX-26) put forth a bill that would end the RMP.

Taxpayers are footing the bill for fast food through SNAP. More than $524 MILLION was spent at restaurants through this loophole in just two years.

Today, I introduced legislation to end the fast-food loophole and refocus SNAP on nutritious groceries for struggling Americans. pic.twitter.com/J2NBnH9TWr— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) September 3, 2026

Under Gill’s Ending Restaurant Purchases with SNAP Act, public and nonprofit groups would still be able to provide meals to beneficiaries, including disabled and elderly Americans eligible for home deliveries.

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Perhaps that bill could be modified to put in a requirement that SNAP recipients attend home economics classes in order to receive benefits. All one needs is a hot plate and a mini-fridge to feed oneself, because I spent over a year with only that and managed to feed myself regularly, without benefit of SNAP or fast food. While the microwave is not very MAHA, it can also be used to cook all that real food one should be getting through the SNAP benefits. Wouldn’t that be nice?

“SNAP benefits should go to Americans, not fraudsters or illegal immigrants,” said White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud Executive Director Scott Brady. “And thanks to Secretary Rollins, such waste and abuse will stop.”

It is clear this RMP offshoot is a kickback to the restaurant industry, and another way that fraud can be amplified. Let us hope that USDA and the Fraud Task Force will continue to go hard on this.

(*) Full article: https://redstate.com/jenniferoo/2026/09/19/ag-secretary-brooke-rollins-announces-operation-snap-back-to-combat-nyc-fraud-n2207130