Home Industries Food & Agriculture R.I. DHS supervisor, daughter facing federal charges in alleged SNAP fraud

R.I. DHS supervisor, daughter facing federal charges in alleged SNAP fraud

Updated at 7:20 p.m. on Sept. 10

By

Katie Castellani

-

09/10/2024

gavel — A RHODE Island Department of Human Services supervisor and her daughter are facing federal charges for allegedly defrauding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha announced Tuesday.

PROVIDENCE – A R.I. Department of Human Services supervisor and her daughter are facing federal charges for allegedly defrauding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha announced Tuesday. Nadine Jean Baptiste, 57 of Warwick, allegedly conducted balance inquiries in electronic benefit transfer cards over the phone and often changed the personal identification numbers

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PROVIDENCE – A R.I. Department of Human Services supervisor and her daughter are facing federal charges for allegedly defrauding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha announced Tuesday. Nadine Jean Baptiste, 57 of Warwick, allegedly conducted balance inquiries in electronic benefit transfer cards over the phone and often changed the personal identification numbers associated with those cards. Some of the people whose information was repeatedly assessed were either juveniles, homeless or incarcerated at the time. Baptiste allegedly improperly accessed SNAP EBT cards with a value of approximately $191,000. The investigation began in September 2023, when the R.I. Office of Internal Audit got complaints from SNAP recipients on the Internal Audit Fraud Hotline. The SNAP recipients said they did not receive EBT cards, which are often mailed or obtained in person from a DHS office if the recipient is homeless. Both Baptiste and her daughter, Octavia Jean Baptiste, are facing federal charges of aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, illegal acquisition or use of SNAP benefits and conspiracy. Nadine was arrested Tuesday at work, and Octavia Jean Baptiste was taken into custody in the lobby of the federal courthouse in downtown Providence by the U.S. Marshals Service. The two women made initial appearances before a U.S. magistrate and were released on unsecured bond. The matter remains under investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Roklan. The case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General in both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Social Security Administration as well as the Fraud Detection & Prevention Unit in the Rhode Island Office of Internal Audit. The U.S. Marshals Service along with the Warwick, Providence and Woonsocket Police Departments also helped the investigation. Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Castellani@PBN.com. (Updated to add the arrest of Octavia Jean Baptiste and that she and Nadine Jean Baptiste appeared before a U.S. magistrate and were released on unsecured bond.)