A 27-year-old man has been charged with stealing thousands of dollars in California public assistance benefits using fraudulent Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards at a Lancaster ATM, Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced Thursday morning.
The suspect, Ioannis Alecsopoulos, was apprehended on Feb. 1 during an undercover operation. Authorities allege that Alecsopoulos withdrew over $4,000 and attempted to withdraw more than $13,000 using nine different EBT cards. Investigators say he used electronic skimming devices to steal EBT account information, which allowed him to fraudulently access funds.
During the arrest, law enforcement recovered multiple tools associated with EBT skimming operations, including nine skimming devices, 94 re-encoded gift cards, and eight pinhole cameras, according to authorities.
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Alecsopoulos was arraigned on Feb. 4, with bail set at $500,000. He has been charged with 10 counts of felony identity theft, three counts of felony grand theft, and one misdemeanor charge of obstructing a law enforcement officer. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in state prison.
It was not immediately clear whether he was an attorney who can speak on his behalf.
The case underscores a growing problem in California, where EBT fraud has led to more than $100 million in stolen funds over the past year, according to the California Department of Social Services.
“Our office will continue to vigilantly investigate and prosecute these cases and hold offenders fully accountable for their criminal actions,” said Hochman. “We are also working closely with victims and the LA County Department of Public Social Services to return the stolen benefits.
“EBT theft cruelly robs vulnerable individuals of the public benefits they are legally entitled to. In addition to directly taking critical financial assistance away from children, families, and the elderly, public assistance fraud steals from taxpayers.”
Authorities are urging EBT cardholders to stay alert for scams involving text messages, emails, card skimming, and fraudulent websites. Officials warn that neither the County nor the state will ever ask for a card number or PIN. To minimize risk, EBT users are advised to update their PIN monthly.
For more information on how to protect against EBT fraud, watch this CDSS video.
