Police take down ring behind theft of millions meant for SNAP beneficiaries

On Thursday, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office filed charges against eight members of a network that allegedly misappropriated millions of dollars intended for beneficiaries of the food assistance program known as SNAP.

The defendants face charges of conspiracy, theft, and identity theft, among others.

The eight individuals were arraigned this afternoon before a judge of the New York State Supreme Court, where they were formally charged by prosecutors from the Manhattan District.

Among the defendants are Belal Hauter, 34, accused of leading the conspiracy; Gregory Fabiani, 46; Abdulla Aezah, 35; Milton Rios, 53; and Yvette Rivera, 58.

According to court documents, the defendants used the names of existing or fictitious businesses to process transactions involving Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.

They say that the card numbers and PINs were subsequently stolen and cloned to withdraw funds from food assistance programs intended for beneficiaries.

In several cases, according to prosecutors, legitimate cardholders tried to use their cards the same day the funds were loaded, only to discover their accounts had already been emptied.

Among the evidence presented are photographs of the devices used to conduct the transactions and other images of members of the alleged network operating in the back of a Yonkers warehouse and in several hotels.

It is alleged that the stolen funds were used to purchase several luxury vehicles and to send tens of thousands of dollars to Yemen and other countries.

The defendants pleaded not guilty. The judge set bail between $100,000 and $1 million. The next court appearance is scheduled for December 10.