$330K Food Aid Scam in Indy Built on Fake Identities
INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis woman is going to prison after pulling off a food‑aid scam that lasted more than two years and drained more than $330,000 from taxpayers.
Federal prosecutors say Desha Morris used fake names, forged documents, and even rented homes just to have mailing addresses for government EBT cards. She would impersonate applicants on the phone with state workers, collect the cards, and then either spend the benefits herself or sell them for cash.
The scheme ran from April 2020 through July 2022, until investigators pieced together the fraud. In court, Morris pleaded guilty to 10 counts of mail fraud and two counts of benefits fraud. A judge sentenced her to five years in federal prison and ordered her to pay back more than $335,000.
U.S. Attorney Tom Wheeler said Morris’s actions didn’t just cheat taxpayers — they hurt families who rely on SNAP to put food on the table. He added that her scheme also exposed innocent people to potential damage to their credit and financial security.
Court records show Morris has a long history of forgery, theft, and identity fraud dating back to 2006. Prosecutors say this case was one of her most damaging, undermining a program designed to help the most vulnerable.
