Man stole almost $900K in SNAP funds, sent some to the West Bank, officials say

A 51-year-old man is behind bars after he was accused of stealing more than $862,000 in government benefits and sending a portion of the money to the West Bank.

Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia said in a news release that Anwar Jouda is charged with first-degree grand theft, organized scheme to defraud and criminal use of personal ID.

He was arrested Thursday in St. Lucie County, but investigators said the crimes were committed in Miami-Dade.

According to investigators, Jouda stole the identity information of a victim and their SNAP-authorized business and then diverted money into his own accounts through “fraudulent merchant applications, forged documents, falsified banking information, and deceptive communications.”

The scheme resulted in the diversion of $862,394.95 in SNAP funds for Jouda’s own financial benefit, authorities said. He allegedly sent some of that money via wire transfers to the West Bank in the Middle East.

The judge set Jouda’s bond at $20,000.