Feds Find Food Stamp Fraud at Store With Over $1 Million in Food Stamp Charges

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.

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