Mississippi authorities have arrested four individuals in connection with a large-scale food stamp fraud case totaling approximately $131,000, District Attorney Matthew Barton announced Thursday.

The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office, and the Mississippi Department of Human Services released details on the indictments, stating that the four women were charged individually for failing to disclose income and changes in circumstances to qualify for government assistance.

“It’s essentially a food fraud case where they failed to disclose changes and circumstances, omitted income,” Barton explained. “They were receiving in order to qualify for certain government assistance and benefits.”

The four suspects and their alleged fraud totals are:

• Stephanie Wright – three-count indictment, $18,114
• Tiffany Harrell – five-count indictment, $30,443
• Syerra Lynks – three-count indictment, $30,853
• Lashonda Smith – five-count indictment, $52,053

Authorities say the fraudulent activity began in 2020 and continued until earlier this year. The investigation remains ongoing.