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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Flint man sentenced to federal prison for role in food stamp fraud
By Gary Ridley | gridley@mlive.com
on January 09, 2013 at 7:00 PM, updated January 09, 2013 at 7:06 PM
FLINT, MI -- A 55-year-old Flint man was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for his role in a food stamp fraud.
U.S. District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith on Tuesday, Jan. 8, sentenced Noha T. Fofana to four years, three months in prison after he was convicted of conspiring to commit food stamp fraud in August.
Jurors returned the guilty verdict against Fofana after evidence showed that his store, Mandingo African Market, redeemed more than $750,000 in food stamp benefits between February 2009 and July 2011.
An analysis conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed that the market’s average food stamp redemption amount was $26,798 per month -- compared to an average of $5,479 monthly redemption for other convenience stores within an .8-mile radius.
The United States Attorney Office of the Eastern District of Michigan claimed that Fofana and Akhir McFarland conspired to manually enter Bridge Card numbers, a debit card-like device that electronically tracks benefits, and personal identification numbers in order to transfer the benefits to the market’s bank account.
The two agreed to pay customers, including undercover law enforcement agents, roughly 50 cents for each $1 charged against their cards.
McFarland was sentenced to more than a year in federal prison in December 2012 for his role in the conspiracy.
The men were ordered to pay more than $600,000 in restitution.
“Taxpayers fund food stamps to provide food for the needy, not to create a revenue stream for store owners,” U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said in a press release. “We hope that other merchants will become aware of prosecutions like this one and be deterred from engaging in similar fraud schemes.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General and special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the Flint branch of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. |
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Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:06 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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2012 August « Refugee Resettlement Watch
refugeeresettlementwatch.wordpress.com/2012/08/page/2/
Guilty! Another African-owned convenience store defrauded US taxpayers
Posted by Ann Corcoran on August 18, 2012
This is one more in my ever-growing archive of food stamp fraud cases involving immigrant-owned or managed convenience stores in the US.
And, home health care frauds are starting to pop-up more frequently too. Honestly, I think there are seminars taught abroad on how to get into the US and set up a scam!
Here is the latest story from Flint, Michigan on food stamp trafficking. This guy got $750,000 of your tax dollars! And, he somehow was previously guilty of immigration fraud and visa fraud. So how did he even get permission to transact food stamp purchases?
Flint, MI – The owner of a west Flint market was convicted today in Flint federal court for conspiracy to commit food stamp fraud after witnesses testified he paid cash in exchange or food stamp benefits.
Jurors returned the guilty verdict against Noha T. Fofana after evidence showed that his store, Mandingo African Market, redeemed more than $750,000 in food stamp benefits between February 2009 and July 2011.
An analysis conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed that the market’s average food stamp redemption amount was $26,798 per month – compared to an average of $5,479 monthly redemption for other convenience stores within a .8 mile radius.
The United States Attorney Office of the Eastern District of Michigan claimed that Fofana and Akhir McFarland, who had previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing in federal court, conspired to manually enter Bridge Card numbers, a debit card-like device that electronically tracks benefits, and PINs order to transfer the benefits to the market’s bank account.
I sure would love to see how he managed the immigration fraud, so if anyone happens to come across that send it my way!
Immigration authorities must be notified of the conviction.
Fofana, who also goes by the name Nganio Fofana, previously served time after being convicted of visa fraud and unlawfully obtaining naturalization in federal court |
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Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:13 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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This is not the worst local case of food stamp fraud. In 1993 the feds seized the King party Store in Flint for being a one-stop criminal enterprise. The store fraudulently purchased food stmps and stolen property while selling guns, marijuana and crack cocaine.
Bashir Abro,a Chaldean christian, conspired with other store owners acrosss the state including Mac's Food Fair in Mt Morris, to carry out their extensive criminal activity. Their illegal activities included possible money laundering to foreign entities. |
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Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:31 pm |
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