Glen Burnie Shop Owner Gets 2.5 Years for SNAP Fraud

GLEN BURNIE, MD – Shaheen Tasewar Hussain, 61, of Columbia, Maryland, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 30 months for running a brazen food stamp fraud scheme. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett handed down the sentence on April 27, 2017, along with a three-year supervised release and a hefty $778,183.00 restitution order. Hussain, the owner of Shop & Save convenience store, systematically ripped off a program designed to feed those in need.

The case, brought by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning, alongside federal investigators from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and the FBI, revealed a calculated effort to exploit the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Hussain’s Shop & Save, located at 301 Crain Highway South in Glen Burnie, was approved as a SNAP retailer, allowing it to accept electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards – essentially debit cards for food assistance.

But instead of providing actual food, Hussain turned his store into a cash-for-benefits exchange. From July 2011 to August 2016, Hussain routinely gave customers cash in exchange for their SNAP benefits, pocketing up to 50% of the funds as an illegal profit. The scheme netted Hussain over $778,183 in fraudulent EBT deposits – money that should have been used to purchase groceries for struggling families. Hussain knowingly violated program rules and regulations, and illegally collected funds.

The audacity didn’t stop there. Hussain had been permanently disqualified from the SNAP program for prior violations. Undeterred, she used a “straw owner” to submit a new application for Shop & Save, fraudulently licensing the store to participate in the program under another person’s name. Law enforcement observed Hussain directly working the cash register, personally facilitating the illegal transactions, offering reduced cash for EBT card balances.

Undercover agents confirmed the operation, repeatedly entering Shop & Save between April and September 2015, offering to sell their SNAP benefits for cash. Each time, Hussain willingly participated, swiping the cards for fabricated purchases. One instance saw Hussain swiping an agent’s card twice, charging $75.02 and $25.60 – a clear indication of the systematic nature of the fraud. The USDA’s SNAP program, a vital lifeline for low-income individuals, was treated as Hussain’s personal ATM.

This sentence sends a message: exploiting programs meant to help the vulnerable will not be tolerated. The combined efforts of the Department of Justice, the USDA, and the FBI brought Hussain to justice, and the restitution order aims to recover a significant portion of the stolen funds. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on those who prey on the needy.