In Massachusetts, two Haitian men have been accused of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme involving over $7 million from the SNAP program, as announced by officials on Wednesday.

Antonio Bonheur, aged 74, and Saul Alisme, 21, are each facing charges related to food stamp fraud. According to U.S. Attorney Leah Foley from the District of Massachusetts, the duo allegedly exploited two small businesses, Jesula Variety Store and Saul Mache Mixe Store, to illicitly cash in on SNAP benefits, sometimes raking in as much as $500,000 monthly.

“These locations were far from being supermarkets or full-service grocery outlets. Labeling them as convenience stores would be a stretch,” Foley remarked during a press conference. “The convenience here was solely in facilitating SNAP benefit fraud.”

Foley further noted, “This fraud operation was far from sophisticated. It thrived merely due to inadequate oversight, which allowed such activities to continue unchecked.”

On Wednesday, December 16, 2025, two Haitian men faced charges for a $7 million SNAP benefits fraud in Massachusetts. (DOJ)

If convicted, the two men face up to five years in prison as well as three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

Prosecutors say the vast majority of the fraud took place from the Jesula storefront. Gov. Maura Healey says state officials notified federal authorities about suspicious transactions at the store earlier this year.

“My administration reported this suspicious activity to the federal government for investigation and prosecution over a year ago,” Healey said in a statement. “As a former Attorney General and now Governor, I will always support prosecution to the fullest extent of the law for anyone who engages in fraud or abuse of a federal program or any program.”

A store where Haitian migrants fraudulently redeemed SNAP benefits, according to federal authorities. (DOJ)

News of the fraud comes after President Donald Trump’s administration threatened to cut off federal funding for Democrat-run states if they do not inspect SNAP benefit payments. Federal authorities are enacting a crackdown on welfare fraud, thanks in large part to Somali immigrants allegedly defrauding Minnesota taxpayers of roughly $1 billion under Gov. Tim Walz.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is facing heavy scrutiny over fraud issues in Minnesota. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Walz announced in a press conference last week that he is installing a new statewide prevention program that will work with a private firm specializing in forensic auditing.