A federal indictment in South Florida alleges a multi-year SNAP trafficking ring that converted more than $19 million in taxpayer-funded benefits into cash through a network of convenience stores and sham transactions.
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned an indictment charging four men for their alleged roles in a years-long scheme to defraud the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by exchanging food assistance benefits for cash and fraudulently obtaining more than $19 million in federal funds. The case centers on retail locations in Miami-Dade and Broward counties that were authorized to accept SNAP benefits but, according to prosecutors, were used to launder and skim benefit dollars for profit.
Court filings say the scheme ran from approximately July 2019 through May 2026 and involved coordinated activity across multiple stores. The indictment names Rajaie Ahmad Ali, 63, of Miramar; Sami Jamhour, 43, of Hollywood; Cristian Giovanni Amaro, 27, of Miami; and Adel Amro, 23, of Fort Myers as defendants who allegedly conspired to traffic SNAP benefits through SNAP-authorized retail stores.
Ali is accused of owning Brown Sugar, Jamhour owned Kwik Stop, and Amaro owned Quickie Mini Market, with the indictment claiming they improperly shared SNAP point-of-sale terminals. The charges allege that Ali and Amaro provided POS terminals for use at Kwik Stop, which violates program rules that prohibit merchants from sharing terminals and creates an avenue to process sham transactions and hide who actually received the funds.
According to prosecutors, the alleged scheme worked by recruiting SNAP recipients willing to trade their benefits for cash and then processing inflated purchases on EBT cards. Employees at the stores allegedly ran transactions at amounts far above any legitimate grocery purchase, gave recipients roughly half the value in cash, and kept the remainder as illicit profit. That pattern, investigators say, generated millions in diverted program dollars while leaving real SNAP beneficiaries deprived of intended food support.
“Food stamps exist to help families put food on the table, not to make criminals rich,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As alleged, these defendants turned a neighborhood grocery store into a cash-for-food-stamps operation, trafficking more than $19 million in taxpayer-funded benefits for their own profit. Public benefits fraud steals twice: first from taxpayers who fund these programs, and again from the families who rely on them. Working alongside our federal, state, and local partners, we will continue to investigate, prosecute, and dismantle those who exploit programs designed to help our most vulnerable citizens.”
“Criminals who conspire to steal food assistance dollars from needy Americans to enrich themselves are disgraceful and will be held to account. This was a years-long scheme that amounted to more than $19 million in taxpayer funds being stolen. Outrageous,” said Inspector General John Walk of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG). “Working with our law enforcement partners, USDA OIG is a proud partner in the fight to end SNAP fraud.”
https://x.com/USAO_SDFL/status/2082921153807491450
Investigators say Amro played a central role recruiting SNAP recipients to hand over access to their electronic benefits in exchange for cash. The indictment describes a system where employees processed bogus purchases on EBT cards and diverted the excess, effectively turning public benefits into a cash business. Prosecutors describe repeated, organized conduct rather than isolated bad actors, which is why federal charges span trafficking, money laundering, and related structuring counts.
“Government programs like SNAP support American families in need of assistance, ensuring that our citizens do not go hungry,” said Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami. “For almost 7 years, these fraudsters allegedly targeted SNAP for illicit gains, stealing millions of dollars from Americans with no remorse to the harm they inflicted upon South Florida communities. This investigation should be a clear message to anyone who targets government programs for ill-gotten gains – the FBI and our local, state, and federal partners will always investigate and bring to justice those who undermine our government and exploit American citizens in need.”
The indictment lays out specific counts and potential penalties for each defendant. Ali faces charges including conspiracy to commit SNAP trafficking, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, and structuring, and faces up to 65 years in prison. Jamhour is charged with conspiracy to commit SNAP trafficking, conspiracy to commit money laundering, three counts of money laundering, and four counts of structuring, with a potential sentence of up to 50 years.
Amro is charged with conspiracy to commit SNAP trafficking, SNAP trafficking, and money laundering, and faces up to 30 years in prison, while Amaro faces charges including conspiracy to commit SNAP trafficking, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, and structuring, with exposure to up to 55 years behind bars. Those potential sentences reflect the federal nature of the allegations and the combination of trafficking and financial crimes alleged in the indictment.
FBI Miami and the USDA-OIG, Southeast Region, are leading the investigation with assistance from the City of Miami Police Department and the West Palm Beach Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosenfeld is listed as the prosecutor assigned to the matter, and authorities say the case reflects coordinated federal and local law enforcement work to identify program abuse.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
