Because this happened with a convenience store where we live, I’ve been keeping an eye on these cases involving food stamp fraud in immigrant run stores (the immigrants involved may or may not be former refugees).
Here is a report yesterday from Tulsa, OK:
Felony charges were filed Wednesday and Thursday against 16 Tulsans who are accused of fraudulently exchanging food stamps for cash at a Tulsa convenience store.
The charge, trafficking in food stamps, stems from a three-year undercover operation by agents working for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, said George Johnson Jr., DHS’ communication director.
An undercover agent said about 70 charges will be filed by the end of the year against people who are accused of fraudulently obtaining cash through their Access Oklahoma food stamp cards at the A&Zee Quick Stop, 2103 N. Cincinnati Ave.
Johnson said more than $838,000 has been obtained fraudulently through the food stamp program at the store since January 2005.
The store owner and two store clerks were indicted in federal court earlier this year for conspiring to commit unauthorized use of food stamp cards.
The owner, Zobair Enwar Baig, pleaded guilty in May and admitted receiving 50 percent of the dollar amount in transactions. He is scheduled to be sentenced in August.
The clerks, Raffi Akbar Din and Nadeem Mustafi, pleaded guilty and were sentenced to probation earlier this year.
Go here to see our archives on food stamp fraud.