West Virginia Food Stamp Fraud Case with Interesting Twist; Yes! Deport Them!

It has been awhile since I’ve seen an interesting food stamp fraud case which was one of my driving interests when I first started writing ‘Frauds and Crooks.’  

For over ten years I had noticed that much of the SNAP fraud involved trafficking in benefits at mom and pop convenience stores owned or managed by ‘new Americans.’  I wrote about a lot of cases at RRW before launching ‘Frauds and Crooks.’

I’m not seeing as many juicy cases these days, but this one caught my eye because the perps wanted to be deported to their “native country” instead of serving time in the slammer.

Sheesh! And, you would know it—it took a long time to find out exactly which was their “native country.”

Here is the news from this week at the Herald-Dispatch from Huntington, WV:

Brother in food stamp scheme transferred to federal custody, faces revocation

HUNTINGTON — A Huntington man who admitted to food stamp fraud as part of an organized criminal enterprise three years ago has been transferred to federal custody to face possible supervision revocation after he was accused of committing those crimes while under federal supervision.

Tallozi brothers originally busted in 2016. Their food stamp fraud scheme caused an increase in crime in the neighborhood said county prosecutor.

Basim Tallozi, 64, and Samir Tallozi, 67, admitted in a Cabell County courtroom in 2017 that together, and with employees of the former Save Way gas station in the 1300 block of Madison Avenue, customers would be given lists of items needed to stock the store in exchange for 50% of the items’ cash value. On at least one occasion, items were brought to the brothers’ home. On some occasions, customers were taken to different businesses to make the purchases.

The business had a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy as to how the items were purchased. Only a receipt was required for the transaction to prove the items were not stolen.

Basim Tallozi admitted to giving drugs, including meth and marijuana, to beneficiaries four times in place of the 50% cash value.

Their scheme came to a crashing halt in 2016 after Cabell County agencies raided their homes and business. An uprising in theft, drug trafficking and prostitution at and near the West Huntington neighborhood business was a direct result of the illegal trading and food stamp fraud, Cabell County assistant prosecutor Joe Fincham previously said.

Both brothers said during their plea hearings that they did not understand what they were doing was against the law at the time of their arrest.

Basim Tallozi’s attorney had requested at the time of his Cabell County sentencing that he be allowed to voluntarily give up his citizenship and be deported back to his native country as punishment instead of costly imprisonment, but Cabell Circuit Judge Paul T. Farrell declined.

[….]

As a result of his state charges, federal agents issued a warrant for his arrest and made a request to revoke his supervision.

[….]

Samir Tallozi has also been released from state prison.

I don’t know what exactly that means but I don’t think it means they will deport him.  His brother is already free!  What the heck! They were sentenced to over a decade in prison. Why are they out so soon?

Here we go!  Ah the joys of diversity!

Took me a while to find it, but here we are!  They are Jordanian!

This is the first time I have ever seen any mention of deportation for food stamp fraud.  It is too bad the judge turned it down.

Again, from the Huntington Herald-Dispatch from April 2017:

Brothers facing stiff sentences or deportation

HUNTINGTON — Although they were sentenced Tuesday to serve decades in prison for their participation in an organized criminal enterprise, the Tallozi brothers could soon return to their native country of Jordan.

The Save Way benefit fraud operation’s leader, Samir Tallozi, 64, was sentenced to 10 years, and his brother, Basim Tallozi, 61, was sentenced to 16 to 20 years in prison. Both brothers additionally were sentenced to $25,000 in fines each for the scheme they orchestrated in the Central City neighborhood of Huntington.

The brothers admitted on Monday together, and with employees of the former Save Way gas station in the 1300 block of Madison Avenue, that customers would be given lists of items needed to stock the store, which they could purchase with government benefit cards in exchange for 50 percent of the items’ cash value. On some occasions, customers were transported to different businesses to make the purchases.

Samir Tallozi pleaded guilty Monday to engaging in organized criminal enterprise and benefit fraud.

Huntington WV is on the border of Ohio and Kentucky.

Basim Tallozi pleaded guilty to eight counts including conspiracy, engaging in an organized criminal enterprise, recruiting members to join an organized criminal enterprise and benefit fraud. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of delivery of marijuana and one count of delivery of crystal meth.

The brothers still face deportation at their May 18 reconsideration hearing. Samir Tallozi holds a green card to live in the United States, while Basim is a naturalized American citizen who has lived in the country for 35 years, raising two children. He also obtained a college degree in civil engineering.

Basim Tallozi’s attorney, Kerry Nessel, presented an offer at the sentencing hearing: He told Cabell Circuit Judge Paul T. Farrell, who often bans out-of-state offenders from returning to Cabell County, that his client would willingly turn over his citizenship to the United States and return to Jordan in return for no jail time.

“I’m dead serious about this. You would be making a great statement to the people of the state by sending them back there. Let them take care of him,” he said. “Nobody’s benefiting by sending him to prison.

We aren’t sending them across the river over to Ohio to where he could get across the bridge.”

More here.

Don’t ask me why they are out so soon, but deportation is the punishment I’ve long advocated for crooks like these.

If you are interested, you can read all the details of their crimes here.

Huntington authorities bust ”organized retail theft operation’

 

 

Ohio Somalis Charged in $10 Million Food Stamp Fraud Bust

Editor:  Sorry to readers who posted comments in the last couple of days, I took a break and never did see your comments until this morning.  They are posted now.

For readers who knew Phil Haney, see my post at RRW today.

 

(On illegally trading food stamp benefits for cash) “They get food stamps, but they can’t buy a lot of things with food stamps.”

(Yahya Mohammed)

 

I haven’t seen a substantial food stamp fraud bust in awhile.  Glad to see that the feds are still going after the ‘new American’ entrepreneurs Michael Bloomberg is always touting.

Somalis in Columbus, Ohio this time.

From NBC4:

Feds charge Columbus market owners with food stamp fraud totaling more than $10 million

COLUMBUS (WCMH) — The former owners of a Somali specialty market have been charged with food stamp fraud.

A federal grand jury has charged Hassan and Abdurahim Nuriso, former owners of Towfiq Market on Sullivant Avenue, with conspiring fraudulently to redeem more than $10 million in SNAP and WIC benefits between 2010 and 2019.

“It’s very clear in all the regulations what you can and can’t do,” said Asst. U.S. Attorney David Bosley. “You can’t give food stamps for cash, you can’t buy items that are not allowed under the food stamp program, you can’t buy things that aren’t food, and you can’t give credit.”

As part of the alleged conspiracy, the Nuriso brothers are accused of converting illegally obtained food stamp benefits, WIC coupons, and WIC electronic benefits into money, in order to use the money for other purposes.

The five-count indictment also alleges the Nuriso’s allowed SNAP and WIC beneficiaries to purchase items that were not redeemable through the food stamp or WIC programs.

This is hilarious! So the SNAP benefit card is just like a bank card?

Yahya Mohammed owns a barbershop in the same west side plaza. He says Abdurahim Noriso was well-intentioned.

“I know it’s wrong, but he’s really just helping his community out,” Mohammed said. “People are just trying to survive. They get food stamps, but they can’t buy a lot of things with food stamps.”

More here.

If you followed this case to its conclusion, I assure you the pair will get very little prison time, maybe will be ordered to pay some of the money back to the taxpayers, but will never be deported.

I’ve followed food stamp fraud stories for over ten years, first at Refugee Resettlement Watch and now here at ‘Frauds and Crooks.’  The number of busts seem to have slowed. Maybe some ‘new American’ wannabe fraudsters are getting the message. Who knows.

New Jersey: Guilty Food Stamp Scammers, Turks, Say they Do Not Have to Pay Restitution

Editor:  As is so often the case, I’ve been busy at Refugee Resettlement Watch as Republican governors are caving to the Open Borders Left and asking the President for MORE refugees this year.  See RRW from time to time if you aren’t already.

One of my favorite scams earlier at RRW, and now at ‘Frauds and Crooks,’ is SNAP scam!  That is when small stores and gas stations (most often owned by ‘new Americans’) traffic in food stamps.  I’ve noticed fewer of them lately. I don’t know if that is because the most egregious cases have already been busted or whether the feds have slowed their investigations.

However, this isn’t about trafficking fraud, but about the couple collecting food stamp benefits while owning several gas stations.  There may also be some Medicaid fraud mixed in, but that isn’t fully explained.

I hope the feds investigated their gas stations to ascertain if they also might be trafficking in food stamps!

BTW, I’ve traveled often through this part of South Jersey and I can say there are many, many foreign-owned and operated convenience stores and gas stations.  Why is that?

 

Mustafa and Rahime Ozturk in court on Monday with their Turkish interpreter that you, the taxpayers, likely paid for as required by a Bill Clinton Executive Order that was never rescinded. I wish someone would do an analysis of what these interpreters are costing county and state taxpayers!

 

From the Daily Journal:

Vineland couple in food stamp case say they don’t have to pay back money

 

BRIDGETON – A Vineland couple charged with taking thousands of dollars in an alleged food stamp scam are rejecting a plea deal, claiming a recent bankruptcy means they don’t have to pay back the money.

The couple, Mustafa Ozturk, 35, and Rahime Ozturk, 38, fraudulently received $26,128 in food stamps over several years while concealing that they owned gas stations in two states from the Cumberland County Division of Social Services, court records show.

They both appeared in Cumberland County Superior Court on Monday.
The couple, who have separate attorneys, were arraigned in November on a 16-count indictment alleging theft, conspiracy, and falsifying records.

At Monday’s hearing before Judge Robert Malestein, county Assistant Prosecutor Shari-Ann Sasu said the state has offered the couple plea deals that would recommend probation instead of prison.

However, she said, the defendants would be required to pay back the county and the Ozturks are refusing.

Send them to jail then!

The Ozturks filed in federal Bankruptcy Court in October 2018 for Chapter 13 protection. The Division of Social Services already had completed its investigation by that time.

The division contacted the Prosecutor’s Office in February 2018 to report suspected Medicaid fraud, according to court records.

[….]

“I believe Mr. Ozturk’s of the position that, if he’s in bankruptcy, he shouldn’t have to pay anything back,” Sasu said. “So, the sticking point really is the money and restitution. I’m thinking a restitution hearing is coming at some point.”

More here.

Sigh…. more of the ‘new American’ entrepreneurs we are being told benefit our economy.

California-based ‘Church’ Ministry Indicted by Feds in Forced Labor Case

Here is the news about the disgusting abuse in the name of God.

Imperial valley minstry

 

From the AP story at the Hartford Current:

Leaders of California ministry charged with forced labor

(My first question when I saw the news was, what are the names of the leaders? Other than the leader of the scam, the others aren’t named in most of the US news stories.  But, as is so often the case the UK Daily Mail has them with pictures!—ed)

A dozen leaders of a California-based ministry were arrested Tuesday on charges that they used homeless people as forced labor, holding them in locked group homes and forcing them to panhandle up to nine hours a day, six days a week, U.S. prosecutors said.

Victor_Gonzalez_left_was_one_of_12_Imperial_Valley_Ministries_le-m-13_1568184774333
Alleged leader of the pack:  Pastor Victor Gonzalez

The former pastor of Imperial Valley Ministries, Victor Gonzalez, and the others were arrested in San Diego, El Centro near the Southern California border with Mexico and Brownsville, Texas. They face charges of conspiracy, forced labor, document servitude and benefits fraud.

The El Centro-based ministry has about 30 affiliate church throughout the United States and Mexico and runs five group homes in Southern California, authorities said.

Dozens of victims, many of them homeless and some as young as 17, were lured to the group homes by the promise of food and shelter until they were able to return home.

Instead, the ministry that billed itself as rehabilitating drug addicts kept them inside deadbolted group homes, took their personal belongings and identification documents and refused to return them, stole their food stamp and welfare benefits and in some cases threatened to take away their children if they left, according to a grand jury indictment filed Aug. 23 and unsealed Tuesday.

“The indictment alleges an appalling abuse of power by church officials who preyed on vulnerable homeless people with promises of a warm bed and meals,” U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer said at a news conference. “These victims were held captive, stripped of their humble financial means, their identification, their freedom and their dignity.”

“Windows were nailed shut at some group home locations, leading a desperate 17-year-old victim to break a window, escape, and run to a neighboring property to call police,” said a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office.

More here.  And, see the indictment here.

Who are they?

Now check out the UK Daily Mail story, here, where we learn the names of the ‘new Americans’ ripping off extremely vulnerable homeless people.

Former IVM Pastor Victor Gonzalez, 40, of Brownsville, Texas was among those arrested in the probe along with Jose Demara Flores, aka Joe Flores, 52, Mercedes ‘Mercy Diaz’, 37, and Susan Christine Leyva, 39.

El Centro, California church leaders Arnoldo Bugarin, 47, Jose Gaytan, 47, Sonia Murillo, 51, Sergio Partida, 32, Ana Karen Robles-Ortiz, aka Karen Partida, 29, and Azucena Torres, aka Susana Bugarin, 43, were also booked.

San Diego leaders Jose ‘Chito’ Morales, 47, was arrested in San Diego.

So much for the entrepreneurial spirit of ‘new Americans.’

The Indictment is here.  If anyone finds some juicy bits that weren’t mentioned by the media, let me know.  For example, did money leave the country?

Another Middle Easterner Booked in Louisiana Food Stamp Fraud Bust

New Americans helping our economy!  Not!
The story is from ten days ago and really is an update of news I shared in March about a food stamp fraud bust and feticide(!) case being unraveled in Alexandria, Louisiana.
food stamp fraud
In posts I write about food stamp fraud I often refer back to literally dozens and dozens of such scams reported at Refugee Resettlement Watch where I cataloged them for over ten years.
Wordpress shut down RRW!
As most of you know RRW has been determined by WordPress to contain content they don’t like, but I am working on getting the offending content up and available again in the near future, hopefully in a few weeks.
The interesting thing about this Louisiana case, involving three men who appear to be Middle Easterners, is that the local news is publishing their photos!  It is extremely rare to see a photo of food stamp traffickers.
Continue reading “Another Middle Easterner Booked in Louisiana Food Stamp Fraud Bust”