(The Center Square) – Ohio officials indicted a New York man and the company he owns on charges that he defrauded Ohioans of more than $125,000 in SNAP benefits in 2023.
The Ohio Investigative Unit and Cuyahoga County prosecutors announced charges Monday against Hafedh Al-Gahim, 52 of Brooklyn, N.Y., and the company he owns, Buffalo Discount Corp.
Officials said the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, along with local law enforcement agencies, has received several reports of stolen benefits due to “skimmers,” who capture card numbers and personal identification numbers from point-of-sale terminals.
Those skimmers then use the numbers in fraudulent transactions and often use the entire balance.
Ohio agents were alerted to suspected fraudulent transactions at a Brooklyn bodega in 2023. Officials said more than 370 transactions were found over a five-week period that involved Ohio recipients in the Supplemental Nutrition Assisstance Program.
Agents determined all the transactions were fraudulent, saying Ohio EBT card details were used every 30 to 45 seconds at the Brooklyn store for transactions as high as $800.
Officials claim Al-Gahim and Buffalo Discount were responsible, and Al-Gahim withdrew large sums of cash and used the proceeds for personal expenses, dining and leisure activities.
A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted both Al-Gahim and the company on theft charges, as well as illegal use of EBT, money laundering and telecommunications fraud. EBT is an acronym for electronic benefit transfer.
“I applaud the hard work of the Ohio Investigative Unit in their investigation of Hafedh Al-Gahim – which led to the indictment,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley said. “Our office will hold him accountable, and I urge anyone to report suspicious transactions to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.”
