Connecticut men allegedly allowed customers to redeem food stamps for cash, male enhancement pills
The men allegedly allowed for SNAP recipients to use their benefits to redeem ineligible items such as gasoline, cash and male enhancement pills
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Two Connecticut men have been charged with defrauding the federal Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program (SNAP) after allowing federal food aid recipients to redeem their benefits for cash, male enhancement pills, gasoline and other ineligible items at a convenience store.
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Javed Saeed, the owner of the Manchester store and gas station, and Dastgir Saeed, a man who helped operate it, were indicted by a federal grand jury on food stamp fraud charges and arrested last month, acting Connecticut U.S. Attorney Leonard Boyle announced Friday.
A press release from the Department of Justice alleged that "between November 2016 and January 2020, Javeed Saeed, Dastgir Saeed and others illegally allowed customers to redeem their food stamp benefits for cash and other ineligible items, including gasoline and male enhancement pills."
The DOJ also noted that the two men "charged the customers’ food stamp cards a premium of nearly 50 percent for these transactions."
Two Connecticut men have been accused of allowing federal food aid recipients to redeem their benefits for cash and other ineligible items at a convenience store while charging them a nearly 50% premium for the transactions. (iStock / iStock)
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The indictment charges both of the Saeeds with "one count of conspiracy to commit food stamp fraud and one count of food stamp fraud," with each charge carrying a maximum of five years imprisonment.
Both men were released on bail pending trial.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.