My last post yesterday was on food stamp fraud and our EBT Nation. This morning four new rip-offs of the US taxpayer make the news—three from New York and one from Florida and they are biggies! I wonder did these guys get government supported micro-loans to set up their businesses?
From The Tampa Tribune:
A St. Petersburg convenience store clerk has been convicted of participating in a food stamp fraud scheme that cost the federal government an estimated $350,000.
Isam Nasser, 30, of St. Petersburg, was found guilty by a jury Wednesday of conspiracy to defraud the government and commit wire fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and five counts of food stamp fraud, according to a release from U.S. Attorney Robert E. O’Neill, of the Middle District of Florida. [Wire fraud? Was Nasser sending your tax dollars abroad to Egypt maybe? Just wondering—ed]
According to evidence at the trial, Nasser was a clerk at the Hungry Baba, a convenience store owned and operated by Mehdi Babul. During the conspiracy, Hungry Baba participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, which is run by the federal Department of Agriculture.
From November 2008 through April 2010, Babul, Nasser and others conspired to cheat SNAP by purchasing benefits from customers for cash, minus a fee of about 50 percent of the amount charged to the recipient’s account, the release said.
The transactions are illegal and known as “discounting” or “cash-back.” According to testimony at the trial, the estimated loss to the USDA was more than $350,000.
Nasser faces up to five years in federal prison on the conspiracy charge, up to 20 years on the wire fraud charge, and one year on each of the food stamp fraud charges, the release said. Nasser will be sentenced July 10.
From CNYCentral.com (Syracuse):
SYRACUSE — Three Syracuse markets were searched Thursday morning in connection with an investigation in to New York food stamp fraud and trafficking violations. Four individuals were arrested for falsifying business records and misuse of food stamps.
[….]
Officials say the raids were the result a year-long investigation. The three stores were purchasing food stamp benefits at a rate less than their full value from customers.
The S&R Convenience store is accused of committing fraud against the federal food stamp program for approximately $210,000. Malek Mobarez, of S&R Convenience, is charged with falsifying business records and misuse of food stamps. He was issued an appearance ticket.
Lexington Market is accused of committing fraud against federal food stamp program for approximately $170,000. Joudah Mere, of Lexington Market, is charged with falsifying business records and misuse of food stamps. He was issued an appearance ticket.
All American Market is accused of committing fraud federal food stamp program for approximately $60,000. Moufida Ibrahim and Edres Ibrahim, of All American Market, were charged with falsifying business records and misuse of food stamps. They were both issued appearance tickets.
As is the case in the majority of these fraud busts, no mention is made of nationality or immigration status of the accused fraudsters (media code of silence?).
For new readers, this is my hobby (has been for going on 6 years) alongside my hobby of writing about our refugee and asylum programs. We desperately need a real investigative reporter to tie all these immigrant-run schemes together. This is not a coincidence that such a large percentage of convenience stores are owned by immigrants who then steal from the US taxpayer.
Dear real investigative reporter: Just type ‘food stamp fraud’ into our search function, I’ve done all the research on cases you will need—except for how these perps do it (get into the US, buy the store, and go into the fraud business).