Zina Amba Mbile Mbile, a business owner from Rochester, New York, has been sentenced for food stamp fraud. U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced that Mbile was sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay $246,890 in restitution to the United States Department of Agriculture. The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi explained that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to help low-income individuals purchase food using federal tax dollars. Eligible individuals receive a debit card for food purchases at authorized stores. Businesses can only accept SNAP benefits for eligible food products; it is illegal to accept them for non-food items or cash.
Between March 1, 2020, and July 23, 2024, Mbile operated Beni Food convenience store on Dewey Avenue in Rochester and accepted SNAP benefits in exchange for non-food items like cosmetics and exchanged cash for food stamp benefits. This fraudulent activity led to $246,890 being deposited into Beni Food’s bank accounts for food that was never purchased.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Inspector General under Special Agent-in-Charge Charmeka Parker's direction, Homeland Security Investigations under Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan's direction, and the Monroe County Department of Human Services under Commissioner Thalia Wright's direction.
