CLEVELAND — A New York man and his company are facing charges after being accused of defrauding thousands of dollars in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from Ohio recipients.
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Hafedh Al-Gahim, 52, of Brooklyn, New York, and his company Buffalo Discount Corp. were indicted in Cuyahoga County on theft, illegal use of EBT, money laundering, and telecommunications fraud. He and his company are accused of defrauding more than $125,000 in SNAP benefits from Ohioans, according to the Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU).
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The charges came after the OIU, in partnership with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and local law enforcement agencies, received reports of stolen benefits. They reported this was often due to card skimmers.
“Over a five-week period, more than 370 fraudulent transactions were identified involving Ohio SNAP recipients,” the OIU reported. “Agents determined that all of the transactions were fraudulent, with Ohio EBT card details being used every 30 to 45 seconds at the Brooklyn terminal, often for transactions as high as $800 each.”
An investigation showed that Al-Gahim and Buffalo Discount Corp. were responsible for the scheme. He would allegedly withdraw large sums of cash and use the proceeds for personal expenses, dining, and leisure activities.
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