Anchorage Store Owner Sentenced for SNAP Fraud Scheme

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – In a stunning defeat for a local store owner, Ayub Yusuf Eprahin, 45, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and ordered to forfeit over $42,000 for orchestrating a massive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fraud scheme.

Eprahin, the proprietor of Africa and Middle East Market, pleaded guilty in 2014 to two counts of wire fraud after being charged by a federal grand jury with 15 counts of wire fraud and 11 counts of SNAP food aid fraud. The court found that over $335,000 was stolen from the USDA over nearly two years.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Skrocki, Eprahin exploited his participation in the SNAP program by allowing participants to redeem their benefits for non-food items and cash. He falsified records to make it appear as though the funds were being used for eligible food purchases, while in reality, they were being funneled overseas.

Judge Timothy M. Burgess called Eprahin’s actions ‘very, very serious,’ noting that the misused funds could have fed hundreds of people in need. Eprahin was also sentenced to three years of supervised release following his prison term.

The investigation into Eprahin’s scheme was a collaborative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, who administers the SNAP program.

U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler praised the agencies for their work in bringing justice to this case.

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