Kentucky Accused of Cutting Families Off Food Benefits Using Flawed Data, Leaving Thousands Struggling

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — For years, Kentucky has aggressively removed residents from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) using what critics call flawed and incomplete data, leaving many low-income families without food benefits and fueling lawsuits across the state.

Mothers and Families Lose Benefits Over “Suspicious” Purchases

In one case, a single mother from Salyersville was accused of fraud because she made multiple same-day purchases, overdrew her account, entered invalid PINs, and sometimes bought groceries in whole-dollar amounts.

Her explanation? She worked at the store, sometimes buying lunch during shifts, and her child occasionally used the card. Still, she was disqualified from SNAP until she sued and won in court.

Judge Thomas Wingate blasted the decision, writing in 2023: “It is draconian to take away SNAP benefits from a single mother without clear and convincing evidence that intentional trafficking was occurring during a time when food scarcity is so prevalent.”

Surge in Disqualifications

Kentucky ranks second in the nation for per-capita SNAP disqualifications, behind only Florida.

• In 2015, fewer than 100 Kentuckians lost benefits.
• By 2023, more than 1,800 disqualifications were recorded.
• Since January 2024, another 300 cases have been filed.

In many instances, cases relied solely on transactional data — like back-to-back purchases or checking balances repeatedly — without other supporting evidence.

Judges and Experts Push Back

Judges have repeatedly ruled that purchase data alone cannot prove fraud, but advocates say the state continues to pursue cases that lack clear evidence.

University of Kentucky law professor Cory Dodds explained: “I’m not saying people didn’t commit fraud, but I don’t think the cabinet has met their burden of proof in many of these cases.”

Legal aid lawyers add that recipients are often pressured to sign away their hearing rights, accepting bans of up to a year and repaying alleged misuse amounts as low as 14 cents.

Hunger and Insecurity Rising

Food insecurity remains high in Kentucky, especially in rural areas. An Associated Press analysis found 1 in 8 Kentuckians relied on SNAP in 2024, while 4 in 25 residents struggle with food insecurity overall.

Advocates warn that many families are being punished unfairly. “It’s our fellow Kentuckians who are going hungry as a result of baseless allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse,” Dodds said.

Kentucky’s reliance on flawed data to disqualify families from food aid has now sparked lawsuits and national scrutiny, as pressure mounts for reform in how the state handles SNAP enforcement.

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