Had to look up the story on this one. Sounds like a sting operation.
Police make 30 arrests for food stamp fraud in North Country - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-
Sounds like a store was set up or the owner was set up to buy food stamps. This could be done all over the country. You would see people from all backgrounds.
Probably the safest way people do food stamp fraud is for people to use them to buy sodas and stuff and then go to a crooked store that will buy the goods at half price. That goes on much more. And I don't see how people would get busted for doing that, unless they were followed on camera.
edit: sounds like the owner was busted too. I don't know what they did wrong either.