Feds: "Aunty Florence" turned food stamps into $$$
If you're a welfare recipient in Darby Borough, Aunty Florence's West African Food Market was the place to go, not for the fruit and veggies, but to convert food stamps into cash.
Feds: "Aunty Florence" turned food stamps into $$$
If you're a welfare recipient in Darby Borough, Aunty Florence's West African Food Market was the place to go, not for the fruits and veggies, but to convert food stamps into cash.
That's what U.S. Attorney Zane Memeger is alleging in federal charges filed today against Florence Kingsley, a/k/a Florence Kingsley Mamulu, the store owner in the Delaware County borough bordering Southwest Philadelphia.
The feds say Kingsley, 59, was doling out cash and keeping a healthy cut for herself, processing the fraudulent transactions through the EBT terminal in her store. For instance, she'd "purchase" about $200 in food-stamp benefits and give the recipient $120.
Not a bad deal for Aunty Florence. Except that Kingsley, who allegedly defrauded the government of nearly $300,000, faces up to five years in prison, if convicted.
Is working really that difficult? It seems to the Tonner if people put the effort into working that they put into avoiding work, they might be able to afford food.- so I guess it is time to start making food stamp recipients submit their receipts...why not? I have to on my expense report for my employer and the IRS...why wouldn't they have to? I love the way our gov't works...— Intelligence2008
- One problem. That would require the recipient to be able to read & write. — BResponsible
- Even better, lets go back to the days of Government bread and cheese and powdered milk. If you want anything better, you have to earn it. Do away with food stamps. — towelie
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- How does this $5 per day for food experiment look now?— hollandpa
- It will be interesting to see if Annette John-Hall references this article. But considering she still uses a picture of herself from 20 years ago on this site, I am going to guess she will continue her life long denial. — towelie
- I think it is racist of the Inky to be reporting on this...— Tom813
- Perhaps Mayor Nutter and Bob Brady could learn from this and how to survive on $35 a week. I work in a supermarket and when stamps ,Access,or SNAP come out it is known as "Mother's Day". Ask anyone in the business.You stand back and watch all the misuse. People just flinging product in basket then broke when run out. It is racist because these people don't know how to provide for themselves,it is a joke— pete from boothwyn
- It's just free stuff, right? And if Auntie Flo will give you cash instead of your free stuff, you can go get some better free stuff like booze or drugs from the corner guy.— PhillySubsMac
- This is called "hope & change". The government should provide everythign for free.— kelprod2
- Just like voter fraud - welfare fraud doesn't exist. Did the Inky read their marching orders from the Party.— Beethoven987
- The statistics on Food Stamp fraud are pretty low, 4% nationally. It is a fact that most people on assistance are on it because they need to be, not because they want to be. Yes there are abusers, but why don't y'all practice that Christianity y'all preach.— sparky2212
- You mean 4% get caught. What does being Christian have to do with allowing people to steal from you? Most importantly if people are using the card for money instead of food there's a good chance their children are going hungry. — gemini48
