Here we go again, I could have a story every day (and so could some blogger who wants to take on immigrant food stamp fraud as the subject of an entire blog)!
This bust reported in the Chicago Sun-Times happened in Waukegan, Illinois and they ripped us off for a half million dollars this time.
After a north suburban couple’s grocery was searched during a food stamp and nutrition program fraud investigation, the woman was caught trying to flee with more than $350,000 in a suitcase, federal prosecutors claim.
The couple, who own and operate Sunset Food Market in Waukegan, allegedly defrauded the federal food stamp and nutrition programs of more than $500,000 over the last two years, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s office.
So how did Khaled and Fatima happen to be in the US? Are they Muslims (like all the Mohamads we told you about just 5 days ago, here)? Most of these stories don’t tell us, but their names give us a hint.
Khaled Saleh, 46, and Fatima Saleh, 35, of Waukegan are charged with one count each of conspiracy to defraud government programs and one count of Agriculture Department program fraud in a two-count indictment returned Wednesday by a federal grand jury in Chicago.
The complaint alleges they exchanged cash with customers who made falsely inflated purchases using food stamp cards and nutrition coupons. They also allegedly purchased items, typically infant formula, that customers bought at other stores using program benefits, paying half of the value and then re-selling the items in their store at a higher price.
The charges followed an investigation in which a USDA Inspector General’s office agent, acting undercover, used program benefits to buy formula at a discount store, then sold it for half the price in cash to the Salehs on several occasions, the release said.
Fatima tried to run with mom and the money (funny, other news outlets reporting this story left the mom out)!
Agents executed a search warrant at Sunset Market on April 26. After the search, Fatima Saleh went to her apartment and agents observed her leaving a short time later with a suitcase and her mother, the release said.
Agents found more than $350,000 cash and more than 800 coupon vouchers for the WIC supplemental food program in the suitcase, the release said. Agents later found another $25,000 in cash in the apartment.
The indictment seeks forfeiture of about $377,000 seized on April 26, as well as more than $14,500 seized from Sunset Market’s bank account.
$500,000 obtained through fraud in less than two years, good work if you can get it!
Between August 2009 and April 2011, the defendants redeemed more than $1.175 million in LINK food stamp and WIC coupons, with more than $500,000 being obtained through fraud, the indictment alleges. The store’s participation in the programs has been suspended [let’s hope so!—ed]
Just a reminder to everyone, not just the purchaser of the benefit can be prosecuted, but so too can the seller of the food stamps in this redistribution of your (taxpayer) wealth scheme.