NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for his role in a food stamps fraud and his subsequent flight to avoid prosecution, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
According to federal officials , Jamil Bader, 60, of Teaneck, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an indictment charging him with one count of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits fraud. Judge Martinotti imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Every food stamp/SNAP recipient receives an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, similar to a debit card, with which to make purchases. Every retailer authorized to accept SNAP benefits has an EBT terminal.
Food purchases are made by swiping the card at the terminal. After the customer enters a Personal Identification Number (PIN), the EBT terminal verifies the PIN, determines whether the customer’s account balance is sufficient to cover the transaction and informs the retailer whether the transaction should be authorized or declined.
If the transaction is authorized, the amount of the purchase is then deducted from the SNAP benefits reserved for the customer, and the amount is credited to the retailer’s designated bank account.
Bader admitted that he controlled a small grocery store that was located on Clinton Avenue in Newark between September 2013 and September 2016. Bader acknowledged placing this store in another person’s name because he had previously been banned from participation in SNAP for similar conduct.
Bader admitted that he repeatedly exchanged SNAP benefits for cash and kept a portion of that transaction for himself. Bader acknowledged that this scheme caused at least $754,424 in losses to the federal government.
Bader also admitted fleeing from the United States and obtaining a foreign passport in an effort to avoid these criminal charges.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Bader to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $754,424.