Federal prosecutors dropped the hammer Wednesday on a brazen $7 million Massachusetts SNAP “trafficking” scheme, charging two Boston store owners whose tiny shops allegedly raked in food-stamp cash like big-box grocers.
Antonio Bonheur, 74, and Saul Alisme, 21, each face one count of food stamp fraud after investigators said their businesses were pulling in up to $500,000 a month in SNAP redemptions — more than full-service supermarkets.
The setup was audacious.
Jesula Variety Store and Saul Mache Mixe Store shared a single storefront on Blue Hill Avenue in Mattapan. Court documents described the Jesula location as “effectively a closet with shelves and a register,” selling a few dry goods like beans and rice — with no refrigeration at all.
Yet the SNAP money poured in.
U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy’s office said the numbers didn’t add up — and didn’t need to. According to Special Agent in Charge James Foley, the scheme thrived on one simple failure: oversight.
“This was not a sophisticated fraud scene, and it didn’t have to be because a lack of oversight was all that was needed to allow it to happen,” Foley said, blasting what he called “millions of dollars in losses.”
Gov. Maura Healey’s office pushed back, saying the state flagged suspicious transactions at Jesula — where most of the alleged fraud occurred — and notified the U.S. Department of Agriculture more than a year ago. The store began accepting SNAP before Healey took office, her office noted.
“My administration reported this suspicious activity to the federal government for investigation and prosecution over a year ago,” Healey said. “I will always support prosecution to the fullest extent of the law for anyone who engages in fraud or abuse of a federal program.”
The case lands amid a broader crackdown.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration warned it may withhold SNAP funds from Democratic-led states that refuse to provide personal data on recipients, including names and immigration status.
Watch the clip below:
No longer a conspiracy theory
US Attorney confirms shops are being setup with the sole purpose of exchanging SNAP benefits for cash
Multiple fake stores, one as small as 150 square feet cashing out as much as $480,000 in EBT per month
$7 million in food stamps turned into cash… pic.twitter.com/vQpKCTM45A
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