17 accused in black market baby formula scheme [Video]

VANCOUVER, Wash. (KPTV) – Over a dozen people in Oregon, Washington and California have been indicted for allegedly stealing millions of dollars in federal food stamps.

The pages-long indictment details how the defendants in the case used skimming devices to steal peoples’ information when they checked out at stores. It’s an intricate scheme that spanned across Oregon, Washington and California.

Documents say those stolen benefits were then used to buy large amounts of baby formula and other food at Fred Meyer and Safeway stores. Those goods were then stock-piled at storage units in Vancouver, Wash., before being shipped to California for resale.

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Court documents detail the shipment of 124,000 pounds of baby formula, energy drinks, and other SNAP-eligible food being moved by private and commercial vehicles …