I’ve long complained that with these immigrant-run food stamp fraud scams, the media rarely mentions the immigration status of the scammer found guilty, but hurrah! this story does!
From My Record Journal (emphasis is mine):
MERIDEN — A local grocery store owner was sentenced to 27 months in prison by a federal judge yesterday for food stamp fraud.
Myrachid Elquafai, 52, of New Haven, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit food stamp fraud and one count of food stamp fraud. He was found guilty after a five day trial in federal court in New Haven.
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Elquafai was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Janet Hall to 27 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. [This release bit doesn’t jibe with the deportation suggestion below—ed]
[….]
Elquafai would redeem food stamp benefits at the store at a “significantly discounted rate in exchange for cash and cigarettes,” and an investigation showed more that $820,000 in illegal food stamp benefits were redeemed at the store, Daly said.
[….]
Elquafai has been detained since his arrest on August 2, 2012 and is subject to immigration proceedings after his release from prison, Daly said. Elquafai is a citizen of Morocco, Daly said.
Photo is from this story. Seems store owners were already in trouble for buying stolen goods to stock their shelves.
Click here for our complete archive on immigrant-run convenience store food stamp fraud (a hobby here at RRW). Go here for how to report suspected food stamp fraud.