2 Ohio men plead guilty in $2M food-stamp fraud

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Two Northeast Ohio men have pleaded guilty to committing a $2 million food-stamp fraud out of four Cleveland stores where they accepted food vouchers for ineligible items such as beer and cigarettes.

U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach in Cleveland on Monday announced the pleas of 41-year-old Saed “Sam” Wahdan and his brother 42-year-old Maher “Mario” Wahdan.

The charges against the Brook Park men include food stamp fraud and unlawful redemption of food stamps.

Prosecutors say the Wahdans owned and operated the four stores, but put them in the names of other people to conceal previous convictions.

Prosecutors say that between 2008 and 2012 the men also purchased food stamp cards from customers and used them at other stores to buy inventory for their stores.

Their attorneys didn’t return requests for comment.