A Hollywood convenience store owner has been charged in connection with a years-long scheme to defraud the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by purchasing more than $500,000 in cash and using the benefits to buy merchandise for resale.
According to court records, Al Amin, 52, of Hollywood, conspired with others to purchase Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards from SNAP recipients for approximately half their available benefit amounts in cash. Amin and his co-conspirators then allegedly used the fraudulently obtained cards to purchase bulk merchandise from various retailers. Amin allegedly used the merchandise to stock his convenience store and sold additional merchandise to other store owners in the area.
Amin is charged with conspiracy to obtain unauthorized use, transfer, acquisition, or possession of benefits and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison on the SNAP conspiracy charge and up to 20 years on the wire fraud conspiracy count.