In the heart of Mattapan’s Blue Hill Avenue, two tiny convenience stores—Jesula Variety Store and Saul Mache Mixe Store—processed SNAP benefits on a scale rivaling city supermarkets, sparking a federal probe that uncovered nearly $7 million in fraud.
These neighboring 150-to-500-square-foot shops in a predominantly Haitian and Caribbean immigrant neighborhood drew scrutiny from the FBI and USDA. From September 2021 to December 2024, their EBT records showed massive redemptions despite bare shelves, minimal inventory, and few customers, signaling systematic benefit trafficking in an area where nearly 1 million Massachusetts residents depend on food assistance.
The Scheme Unraveled
On December 18, 2024, prosecutors charged Antonio Bonheur, 74, a naturalized U.S. citizen, and Saul Alisme, 21, a lawful permanent resident, both Haitian immigrants, with federal food stamp fraud. Bonheur allegedly trafficked $6.8 million starting in 2022, while Alisme handled $122,000 from May 2024. Each faces up to five years in prison and fines.
Undercover agents from the FBI Boston Division and USDA Office of Inspector General ran sting operations from 2021 to late 2024. They exchanged SNAP benefits for cash at poor rates—one agent traded $120 in benefits for $100—and captured video of patrons leaving empty-handed after large “purchases.” Investigators also found prohibited alcohol sales and resale of MannaPacks, sealed meal kits from the nonprofit Feed My Starving Children, meant for free distribution to starving children in Haiti and other nations, not U.S. retail.
Oversight Failures Exposed
SNAP, feeding 42 million Americans at $100 billion annually, lost $1.3 billion to trafficking and errors in 2024, or 10% of spending. Stores must follow rules barring cash exchanges, alcohol sales, and ineligible items. Yet Jesula alone redeemed $300,000 to $500,000 monthly—supermarket levels for a tiny shop.
Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance overlooked red flags and approved Bonheur’s EBT application despite the mismatch. U.S. Attorney Leah Foley called it a “serious breakdown in oversight,” noting the stores’ convenience lay in easy fraud. The state claimed it flagged Jesula in November 2023, but no action followed for over a year, with federal arrests delayed until December 2024.
National Vulnerabilities and Political Clash
The case highlights broader SNAP weaknesses. A USDA report from 2015-2017 pegged trafficking at 2% of benefits across 14% of retailers. Enforcement funding rose 350% from 2012-2023, but losses grew. The GAO criticized USDA for not targeting high-risk stores.
The Trump administration, starting January 2025, ramped up anti-fraud efforts. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins sought state data on recipients’ Social Security numbers, birthdates, and immigration status. Democratic states like Massachusetts refused over privacy, prompting funding threats. Foley tied the prosecution to this push, stating the administration would not tolerate such fraud.
Legal and Community Ramifications
Defendants await bail hearings in late December 2024 or January 2025. First-time offenders face 18-24 months under guidelines, but the scheme’s scale could mean harsher terms and asset forfeiture. Defenses may challenge prosecution delays since the 2023 tip, undercover evidence, or government warnings.
The arrests echo Minnesota’s $1 billion fraud case, where 61 of 87 charged—mostly Somali—were convicted by December 2024. In Mattapan, the Haitian community faces heightened scrutiny, though officials stress case-specific evidence.
This prosecution underscores SNAP’s paradox: vast spending with insufficient safeguards. Federal focus detected the fraud, but debates persist over data demands versus privacy, and trafficking versus error rates from pandemic policies. Policymakers must weigh anti-fraud tools against overreach, ensuring aid reaches the needy amid institutional gaps.
Sources
U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts – Two Massachusetts Men Charged with Large-Scale SNAP Benefits Trafficking
USDA Office of Inspector General – Supplemental Affidavit, USA v. Bonheur et al., Case 1:25-mj-06769-MPK
USDA Office of Inspector General – Complaint Affidavit, USA v. Bonheur et al., Case 1:25-mj-06769-MPK
Wall Street Journal – Massachusetts Men Charged With Nearly $7 Million in SNAP Fraud
Boston Globe – Two Mattapan store owners charged in alleged $7 million SNAP benefits trafficking scheme
Politico – Trump administration will require SNAP participants to reapply for benefits
New York Times – How Fraud Swamped Minnesota’s Social Services System
CBS Evening News – Fraud scandal leaves Minnesota’s Somali community bracing for immigration crackdown
DataUSA – Boston City—Mattapan & Roxbury PUMA, MA Demographics and Socioeconomic Data