A man has been found guilty of defrauding a government program intended for women and children in the Chicago area. Hassan Abdellatif, 36, known as "Eric," was convicted of five charges, including wire fraud and fraudulently obtaining government benefits. Abdellatif was also convicted of failing to file corporate tax returns. Sentencing is scheduled for August 26, 2025, as determined by U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso.
The case centered on Abdellatif, owner, or operator of several Chicago-area convenience stores, including El Milagro Mini Market, Supermercado El Grande, Star Mini Market, In & Out Grocery, and Harding Grocery. Evidence presented in court indicated that Abdellatif and eight other associated individuals were engaged in a scheme to fraudulently redeem checks from the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. This program is federally funded to offer nutritional support to low- and moderate-income infants, children under five, and women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or postpartum.
Investigations revealed that Abdellatif's group allowed customers to use WIC checks for non-eligible and overpriced items. Over several years, they redeemed more than $6.5 million in WIC checks from two stores. In total, ten stores involved in the scheme redeemed over $19 million in WIC checks over eight years. Co-defendants associated with Abdellatif had already pleaded guilty before the trial.
Key figures involved in the announcement of convictions included Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office; Shantel R. Robinson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the USDA's Midwest Regional Office, Office of Inspector General; and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kartik Raman, Rick Young, and Matthew Moyer.
