Two Houston men are facing charges in Calcasieu Parish for allegedly using skimming devices to acquire EBT card information.
Ahmad Ibrahim, 33, and Dieudonne Tamekeng, 39, both of Houston, face the following charges:
- Unauthorized use of a food stamp card over $1,500
- Theft from $1,000 to $5,000
In November 2024, the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office discovered that many people were making purchases at a grocery shop chain in Lake Charles, Lafayette, Shreveport, Denham Springs, and Kenner, according to CPSO spokesperson Kayla Vincent. According to investigators, the suspects obtained EBT card information using skimming devices and used the stolen information to load gift cards to evade discovery.
An investigator with the Department of Child and Family Services contacted CPSO on March 24, informing detectives that a suspect was attempting to use a stolen EBT card to make a purchase at a Lake Charles store.
According to Vincent, when deputies arrived, they spoke with Ibrahim and Tamekeng and discovered that the two had purchased 60 five-gallon drums of cooking oil with stolen EBT numbers.
Detectives examined the suspects’ vehicle and discovered many receipts, gift cards that had been reprogrammed with stolen EBT information, a card reader, and a laptop, Vincent said. Detectives also discovered 24 cases of Red Bull, 10 cases of Monster Energy, and one case of Coca-Cola purchased the day before with stolen EBT numbers.
Ibrahim and Tamekeng were detained and put into Calcasieu Correctional Center.
Vincent claims that because Ibrahim was in the country with an expired work visa, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement notified him. Tamekeng is also an asylum applicant in the United States, according to authorities, and he has a court date scheduled for his hearing.
The CPSO believes there are more suspects, and Vincent expects further arrests and charges.
