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Clerk Guilty Of Food Stamp Fraud

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By YOLANDA FERNANDEZ

yfernandez@tampatrib.com

Published: March 26, 2009

TAMPA - A Clearwater convenience store clerk pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges he bought hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of food stamps from customers at a discount.

So far, 27 of his former customers have been arrested.

Naushad Shahabuddin, 33, who ran the Quick Check Food Mart at 701 N. Fort Harrison Ave., faces up to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court.
Shahabuddin pleaded guilty to unlawfully buying $390,000 in food stamps from customers at less than the face value.

"Individuals knew it was a place to go, and they would go in with their card and receive cash instead of making legitimate transactions for food or eggs," said Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Seybold of the U.S. Secret Service.

Seybold said customers often would receive as little as 50 cents on the dollar.

It's illegal to spend food stamp benefits on anything but food and seeds to grow food.

Neighbors say the store was extremely busy. They watched as federal agents raided the store July 8.
Shahabuddin ran the store for the former owner, who lived in Texas. It was sold in December.

The investigation was part of a joint effort by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Secret Service. There could be more arrests in the case, investigators said.

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