A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned an indictment on July 30 charging four men with allegedly defrauding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by exchanging food assistance benefits for cash, resulting in more than $19 million in fraudulent federal funds obtained through a years-long scheme.
According to court records, Rajaie Ahmad Ali of Miramar, Sami Jamhour of Hollywood, Cristian Giovanni Amaro of Miami, and Adel Amro of Fort Myers are accused of conspiring from July 2019 through May 2026 to traffic SNAP benefits through authorized retail stores located in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. The indictment alleges that Ali owned Brown Sugar, Jamhour owned Kwik Stop, and Amaro owned Quickie Mini Market—stores authorized to accept SNAP benefits. Prosecutors say Ali and Amaro provided their stores’ point-of-sale terminals for use at Kwik Stop despite program rules prohibiting retailers from sharing terminals. Employees then allegedly processed fraudulent transactions by charging recipients’ electronic benefit transfer cards for inflated amounts and paying them approximately half the value in cash while retaining the remainder as profit.
“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.”
Inspector General John Walk of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General said, “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.” Special Agent Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami said, “For almost 7 years, these fraudsters allegedly targeted SNAP for illicit gains… 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.”
Ali is charged with conspiracy to commit SNAP trafficking as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering among other charges; he faces up to 65 years imprisonment if convicted. Jamhour faces up to 50 years; Amro up to 30 years; Amaro up to 55 years based on similar charges detailed by prosecutors.
The FBI Miami office along with USDA-OIG Southeast Region led the investigation with support from City of Miami Police Department and West Palm Beach Sheriff’s Department; Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosenfeld is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida oversees about 15,197 square miles across nine counties serving over seven million residents with branch offices throughout South Florida including Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Fort Pierce and Key West; it operates under the U.S. Department of Justice with approximately 223 assistant attorneys supported by additional staff members while prosecuting both criminal/civil cases, according to its official website.