A California welfare worker has been accused of identity theft involving elderly and deceased individuals, allegedly orchestrating a scheme to defraud over $40,000 in food benefits. In an unexpected twist, she reportedly attempted to blame local gang members for her actions, according to prosecutors.
Federal officials claim Leticia Mariscal, 55, formerly employed by Madera County, misappropriated information from more than 15 individuals to illegally acquire cash benefits, which she then used for personal purchases at stores like Costco, Sam’s Club, and Vons.
Mariscal had access to a county database as part of her job, enabling her to extract the necessary information.
A representative from the Madera County Department of Social Services would not comment on the situation and ended the call abruptly when asked for details.
Mariscal, a seasoned benefits worker with prior experience at Fresno County, allegedly approved these individuals for CalFresh, California’s equivalent of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and generated EBT cards in their names.
According to the complaint, her arrest followed an incident where her 91-year-old son—who resides in a nursing home—made it clear he did not require food assistance. It appears she utilized her elderly mother’s information to claim around $3,000 in benefits.
Mariscal acknowledged her wrongdoing after being confronted with surveillance footage showing her at a local big-box store, where she opened an account to collect fees.
However, she attempted to deflect responsibility onto local gang members and her ex-boyfriend, who allegedly dealt in stolen welfare cards, involving even her family in the mess.
Prosecutors noted she was intimidated by her ex-boyfriend, which seemed to be her reasoning for shifting blame.
From December 2020 to April 2025, Mariscal is accused of stealing a total of over $40,000 in benefits.
As this case unfolds, the California Department of Human Services—responsible for administering CalFresh—faces scrutiny for its failures in benefit calculations. Recently, the California State Auditor labeled the agency as ‘high risk’ due to prevalent inaccuracies in assessing eligibility.
The audit revealed that the California Department of Social Services had an 11% payment error rate for fiscal year 2024, attributed to wrong calculations of participant earnings.
Interestingly, auditors found that California’s error rate aligns with the national average. Still, this high rate may result in the state facing billions in additional expenses under President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Act, which ties federal SNAP funding to errors made at the state level.
In a rebuttal letter, the agency’s chief operating officer, Juliana Viñaratz, countered the auditor’s claims, asserting the financial risks stem from federal rather than state actions.
