Manhattan DA Charges Eight in $7 Million Food Stamp Scheme

New York City food assistance programs lost $7 million to a fraud ring operating out of the Bronx and Westchester County. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the charges on Thursday against eight individuals accused of stealing from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The scheme began in April 2023 and continued through September 2025. Prosecutors said the group used the names of real and fake delis to open merchant processing accounts. These accounts allowed them to capture Electronic Benefits Transfer numbers and personal identification numbers. The defendants allegedly monitored when benefit funds loaded into accounts and drained them before recipients could purchase groceries.

Officials stated that some residents discovered their accounts were empty only when they attempted to buy food. The group operated from a Yonkers deli and various hotels. They used the stolen cash to buy luxury cars and send money internationally, with transfers directed to Yemen.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the defendants tracked the timing of benefit funds to ensure they stole money before legitimate SNAP recipients could use it for necessities. Department of Investigation Commissioner Nadia Shihata noted that the crimes left vulnerable New Yorkers without essential benefits to purchase groceries.

Five of the accused have been identified by name. They are Belal Hauter, 34, Gregory Fabiani, 46, Abdulla Aezah, 35, Milton Rios, 53, and Yvette Rivera, 58. The three remaining individuals have not yet been publicly named. All eight face charges of conspiracy, grand larceny, and identity theft.

Attorneys for the arrested individuals were not immediately available for comment. The case involves thousands of affected SNAP users across the city. Investigators determined the fraud impacted residents who never received the benefits stolen from their accounts.