$2 million food stamp fraud finds some but others may have traveled back to Middle East country of origin

We're tolerant in the US--some of the perps we allowed to rob us owned stores. All perps either owned stores or were employees of same.

• "12 indicted for $2 million in food stamp fraud," News 10 (Utica) by Iris St. Meran

• UTICA, N.Y. -- "Twelve Utica residents face federal charges for approximately $2 million in food stamp fraud. These charges come after an 18 month state and federal investigation.

• Police say those indicted were accepting food stamp benefits in exchange for cash, which is a violation because these benefits are only to be used for eligible food products. A federal grand jury indicted the 12 Tuesday.

Only eight were actually arrested and charged Tuesday with defrauding the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. They include:

• Muteea Alfahdd, 41
• Najeeb Abdullah, 44
• Hamoud Yafal, 60
• Ali Hamoud Yafal, 21
• Yaser Saet, 27
• Bakri Ali Samet, 33


• Setha Samnang, 42
• Rina Samnang, 36

Authorities say they are trying to track down the other four people including

• Nageeb Alghaheim, 24; Mohamed Alshuja, 30; Hassan Mohamed Nagi Alshegaa, 23; Ali Mulhi Abdullah, 36 who may or may not be living in the country.

Everyone arrested was either a store owner or store employees at the six Utica convenience stores listed here:

• Sure Save Market, 1400 Kemble Street, Utica

• Manhattan Plaza #2, 1321 Oneida Street, Utica


• C&M Deli, 1029 West Street, Utica


• William Street Food Corp., 627 William Street, Utica


• 1038 Food Corp., 1038 Court Street, Utica


• Phnom Penh Market, 1633 Oneida Street, Utica

"Those arrested today are some of the worst profiteers that we encounter, preying on government program that ensures a very basic need is met. Adequate food for those persons who cannot provide for themselves," said USDA Special Agent-in-Charge Brian Haaser."....

• (Blah Blah Blah. ed.)
  

continuing: "These charges carry a maximum sentence of imprisonment of five years and a fine of not more than $20,000."

• via Free Republic (a commenter to which wondered if the poor souls had health care, hence the title of this post). framus
  

Where did the money come from to finance the stores? Did the cruel US taxpayer subsidize loans for the poor unfortunates? The investigators only took a year and a half to round up the poor souls. How mean.

• 35 million people in the US now get food stamps, 9/3/09 (1 in 9):
  

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - "More than 35 million Americans received food stamps in June, up 22 percent from June 2008 and a new record as the country continued to grapple with the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

• The food stamp program, which helps cover the cost of groceries for one in nine Americans, has grown in step with the U.S. unemployment rate which stood at 9.4 percent in July.

The Labor Department will release August employment figures on Friday.

• June was the seventh straight month in which food stamp rolls set a record.
  

• The average benefit in June was $133.12 per person."

"At $133 per person we’re talking about

• $4.65 billion in food stamp payments per month.

Just more tax burden for those who still have jobs."