This is a subject I took an interest in when an alleged food stamp scam happened in my county. Now from time to time, I find more of these schemes to defraud the US taxpayer around the country. Here is a recent one from Michigan. And, by the way, as our economy slumps and more people require food stamps we can expect to see more of these scam artists taking advantage.
DEARBORN – Acting United States Attorney Terrence Berg announced Thursday that two separate indictments have been returned charging two Dearborn residents with food stamp fraud.
The indictments allege a scheme to defraud the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) of approximately $566,000 in Food Stamp Program benefits.
The scam goes like this: clerks and store owners (most with names that sound like they belong to the Religion of Peace) pay cash at a rate of maybe 50 cents on the dollar to purchase food stamps from poor folks. They then seek reimbursement from the federal government (you, the taxpayer) for the full dollar.
Here is the information on these two:
Kassem Khalil, 48, is alleged to have engaged in a scheme to defraud the USDA of approximately $144,000. The indictment states Khalil illegally paid food stamp beneficiaries cash in exchange for the food stamp benefits held via their EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) debit cards.
And this is very funny (sort of!), this next guy, the bigger fish of the two, is appropriately named Jihad!
In a separate indictment, Jihad Aoun, 28, is alleged to have engaged in a scheme to defraud the USDA of approximately $422,000. The indictment states Aoun illegally paid food stamp beneficiaries cash in exchange for the food stamp benefits held via their EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) debit cards.
Adding insult to injury, I’m guessing all this money being raked in from our welfare system is going elsewhere to fund the jihad against us.
I hope the authorities are checking the immigration status of these two.
Reforms needed: One of my readers had a great idea for fixing this system. Allow only big chain grocery stores to take food stamps and cut out all these ‘mom and pop’ (misnomer anyway!) convenience stores and gas stations.
For all of our coverage of Food Stamp Fraud go here.