Posted on: October 22, 2023, 09:26h.
Last updated on: October 22, 2023, 09:26h.
A public policy think tank uncovered a startling revelation regarding substantial lottery winners in the US. Despite winning prizes that should have made them ineligible for government food subsidies, approximately 66,000 winners continue to receive such assistance.
The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) emphasizes the need for better oversight of state food stamp programs to address this issue of abuse.
The FGA, a conservative nonprofit organization based in Naples, Fl., conducted an investigation which revealed that tens of thousands of lottery winners are still receiving food benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This federal program provides assistance to low-income individuals and families.
Hayden Dublois, the data and analytics director at the FGA, highlights the failure of states to remove lottery winners from the food stamp program despite their newfound wealth.
According to Dublois, the FGA reached out to 13 states through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) filings to gather information on the number of substantial lottery winners still receiving SNAP benefits since 2019.
Lottery Winners Exploiting the System
In a recent op-ed on Fox News, Dublois argues that lottery winners who continue to receive SNAP benefits are taking advantage of “state negligence and federally created loopholes.”
SNAP is intended for individuals and families who fall at or below 130% of the poverty line, which equates to a monthly income of $2,694 for a family of three, or approximately $32,328 per year. However, state data reveals that at least 66,000 individuals continue to benefit from SNAP despite winning lottery prizes that exceed the qualifying threshold.
We aren’t talking about small winners of $20 scratch-off tickets. In South Dakota, a winner of a $2 million jackpot is still receiving government assistance,” wrote Dublois.
Dublois and the FGA urge states to conduct more thorough checks between lottery winning records and SNAP rosters. Additionally, they recommend that Congress revise the food benefit program’s “broad-based categorical eligibility” to prevent people from automatically qualifying for SNAP without a proper review of their eligibility, especially if they are already receiving other taxpayer-funded benefits.
Dublois concludes, “[Congress] should permanently end broad-based categorical eligibility and ensure that every food stamp recipient meets the federal asset test. Additionally, every state should implement robust data checks between food stamp rolls and lottery winning records, as well as other crucial data such as death records and employment and wage records.”
A Much Bigger Problem
Dublois believes that the number of lottery winners still on SNAP benefits is likely much larger than reported, as only 13 states provided data in response to the FOIA requests. With only five states lacking a lottery, the scale of this issue across all 50 states is concerning.
“It is shocking and hard to believe,” Dublois told Fox News Digital. “And keep in mind, this is data from only 13 states. The nationwide number is likely astronomical. The magnitude of the problem is astonishing, even by government standards.”