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发帖数: 6571 | 1 Feds Find Food Stamp Fraud at Store With Over $1 Million in Food Stamp
Charges
by Katherine Rodriguez24 Oct 2016290
Federal investigators looking into a South Florida food store’s receipts
found over $1 million in food stamp charges with $700,000 of those charges
being fraudulent, investigators say.
Zulfiqar Mithavayani, 51, of Miramar could face federal prison time when
sentenced after he pleaded guilty to eight counts of wire fraud and one
count of wire conspiracy, admitting that he committed food stamp fraud at
his Miami store, the Sun Sentinel reports.
Federal prosecutors say Mithavayani’s store redeemed $1 million more worth
of food stamp purchases than the average Florida convenience store, which
redeemed about $100,000, during the period between October 2012 and March
2016.
Court records show that his store, the ABC Food Market, did four times as
much food stamp business than the other stores within a half-mile from his
business.
Mithavayani’s takedown was part of Operation Stampede, which investigators
say is the largest food stamp fraud takedown in the U.S. that arrested 15
people—mostly linked to a flea market in Miami-Dade County.
The investigation into ABC Food Market began in March 2013, when an
undercover officer used a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program card to
buy food and then asked customers for cash, authorities said.
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Mithavayani called the undercover officer over and asked if he wanted $5.
After the two haggled, Mithavayani fraudulently charged $38.50 worth of “
food” to the card and gave the officer $20 in cash, Mithavayani admitted in
court
The undercover officer completed 15 fraudulent cash transactions over a 2 1/
2 year period, court records say. Mithavayani approved some of the
transactions, but most were approved by his employees.
Prosecutors declined to say what the sentence will be, but included in the
court records that Mithavayani owes more than $694,500 in restitution.
The defense is contesting that amount and recommends a penalty of house
arrest or 10 to 16 months in federal prison because Mithavayani has no
criminal record.
U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga will make her final decision on his
punishment at a hearing scheduled for Monday.
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/10/24/feds-find-food-stamp-fraud-store-1-million-food-stamp-charges/ | n*********e
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