A brazen scheme to defraud a low-income food program for women and children has landed a Chicago-area convenience store owner behind bars. Hassan Abdellatif, 37, of Chicago, was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in the scheme, which saw him and eight others improperly redeem checks from the Women, Infants, and Children (“WIC”) program.
Between 2010 and 2018, Abdellatif and his co-conspirators knowingly allowed customers to use their WIC checks as payment for ineligible items at the stores, often at inflated prices. In all, ten stores involved in the scheme redeemed more than $19 million in WIC checks.
A federal jury last year convicted Abdellatif on all five counts against him, including two counts of wire fraud, one count of fraudulently obtaining government benefits, and two counts of willfully failing to file corporate tax returns.
In addition to the four-year prison term, U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso ordered Abdellatif to pay more than $8.8 million in restitution to the government.
Eight others were charged in federal court as part of this investigation. All eight have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
The scheme was a egregious example of the exploitation of vulnerable communities, and it is a testament to the dedication of law enforcement agencies that those responsible are being held accountable.
The case was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Shantel R. Robinson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Midwest Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and Adam Jobes, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago.
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Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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