Menifee Man Stole Thousands Of Taxpayer Dollars Meant For The Poor

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Two men who defrauded a system meant to help the poor are now serving prison sentences for their crimes.

The Riverside County Department of Public Social Services announced Monday that Kenneth Acton, 48, of Menifee, and Nicholas James Hooper, 36, pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges, including grand theft, welfare fraud, identity theft, and white-collar enhancements. Each was sentenced to three years in state prison.

Prison records show Acton was received into Wasco State Prison on April 30. He is eligible for parole in June 2026. Hooper was sent to the same prison on May 13 and is eligible for parole in August 2026.

According to DPSS, the two men stole $330,000 from California’s Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system. The state's EBT program provides financial assistance, such as cash aid, food stamps, childcare, and general assistance, to the state’s most vulnerable residents.

Acton and Hooper accessed the EBT system in October 2024 and stole the funds, according to DPSS. The agency detected the suspicious activity and began investigating before locking the account that the men used to steal the money.

Acton was arrested in December 2024 on Briggs Road in Menifee. Hooper was arrested the following month on S. Euclid Street in Fullerton.

"This investigation brought together new technologies with old-school detective work," said Supervising Fraud Investigator Raquel Teano. "The team worked tirelessly to identify the two defendants and bring them to justice."