Middle District of Florida Joins DOJ Fraud Division, USDA, and USDA OIG in Uncovering Nearly $42 Million in SNAP Benefit Fraud During Nationwide Enforcement Surge

Tampa, FL - The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida (MDFL) joins the Justice Department's National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the USDA Office of Inspector General today in announcing a nationwide series of enforcement actions targeting fraud involving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and related USDA programs.

Between September 1, 2026, and today, the Fraud Division, the MDFL, along with 12 other U.S. Attorneys' Offices, and the Utah Attorney General's Office conducted the Department's first National USDA Benefits and Program Fraud Enforcement Surge. This coordinated effort resulted in actions against more than 40 defendants whose alleged or proven schemes caused nearly $45 million in intended losses to the federal government. Nearly $42 million of that amount involved fraud against SNAP benefits, which provide monthly food assistance to low-income individuals and families. The MDFL case involved fraud against a USDA crop-insurance program designed to help farmers recover from covered losses.

To learn more about the nationwide cases, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/dojs-fraud-division-department-agriculture-and-usda-oig-uncover-nearly-42m-snap-benefit

On September 29, 2026, Mark Frisbie pleaded guilty in the Middle District of Florida to submitting a false crop-insurance claim. As part of his guilty plea, Frisbie admitted that-from 2019 to 2024-he knowingly signed and certified numerous false crop-insurance claims that underreported his actual crop production. The underreporting of Frisbie's actual crop production caused the federal government to pay more than $1.7 million in crop-insurance indemnities that it otherwise would not have paid. As part of his guilty plea, Frisbie acknowledged that he actually grew and sold more than $6.8 million in bell peppers and tomatoes during relevant times-but that he only reported (for crop-insurance purposes) sales of less than $800,000. In other words, Frisbie fraudulently concealed more than $6 million in crop sales. Based on his false representations in his crop-insurance claims, Frisbie caused the federal government to pay $1,748,408 in crop insurance indemnities that it otherwise would not have paid; Frisbie has agreed to pay $1,748,408 in restitution to the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation based on his fraud. In addition to admitting to submitting false crop-insurance claims, Frisbie admitted to defrauding two other federal government programs designed to benefit farmers-namely, the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program and the Emergency Relief Program; Frisbie has agreed to pay $1,506,992.26 in restitution to the Farm Service Agency based on his fraud against these taxpayer-funded farmer-relief programs. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 11, 2027. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsey Hanson and Simon Eth from the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Trezevant for the Middle District of Florida. United States v. Mark Frisbie, Middle District of Florida (No. 2:26-cr-00251-SPC-NPM)-$3.2 million actual loss

"These schemes siphoned millions from taxpayers and robbed struggling Americans of the benefits they depend on so fraudsters could use them for own selfish purposes," said Attorney General Todd Blanche. "Through our partnership with the Department of Agriculture, this nationwide surge exposed and disrupted criminal networks that targeted vulnerable American families. The Department of Justice will continue working to root out fraud in every federal agency and program."

Law Enforcement Partners Participating in the Surge Event:

U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service, Georgia Department of Human Services Office of Inspector General, Georgia Office of State Inspector General, Missouri Department of Social Services, Nevada Office of the Attorney General, Ohio Investigative Unit, Oklahoma Department of Human Services Office of Inspector General, Utah Attorney General's Office, Dearborn Police Department, Euclid Police Department, Taylorsville Police Department, and Tulsa Police Department.

U.S. Attorneys' Office Participation in the Surge Event:

Middle District of Florida, Eastern District of Arkansas, Northern District of Georgia, Northern District of Iowa, District of Maryland, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Eastern District of Missouri, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, and Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ("Fraud Division"). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department's work to combat fraud supports President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.