Fri Dec 19 03:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Boston Store Owners Charged in $7 Million SNAP Fraud Scheme

Boston, MA – December 17, 2025 – Two Boston store owners are facing federal charges for allegedly running a $7 million Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fraud scheme, announced federal authorities on Wednesday. Antonio Bonheur, 74, and Saul Alisme, 21, are each charged with one count of food stamp fraud.

According to investigators, the pair’s businesses, Jesula Variety Store and Saul Mache Mixe Store, operating out of the same small storefront on Blue Hill Avenue in Mattapan, were processing up to $500,000 in SNAP redemptions monthly, a figure exceeding that of many full-service supermarkets.

U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley described the Jesula location as “effectively a closet” with limited offerings, highlighting the stark contrast between the store’s size and its high volume of SNAP transactions. Surveillance footage reportedly showed customers leaving the stores empty-handed despite allegedly spending over $100 in SNAP benefits.

The defendants are accused of exchanging SNAP benefits for cash and alcohol. They also allegedly sold meal packs from the nonprofit Feed My Starving Children, intended for overseas charities, in their stores.

Foley criticized the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance, claiming inadequate oversight allowed the scheme to flourish. “This was not a sophisticated fraud scene, and it didn’t have to be because a lack of oversight was all that was needed to allow it to happen,” she stated.

Governor Maura Healey’s office responded, stating the state alerted the U.S. Department of Agriculture about suspicious activity at Jesula over a year ago. “My administration reported this suspicious activity to the federal government for investigation and prosecution over a year ago,” Healey said. “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.”

The charges come amid national scrutiny of SNAP programs. Earlier this month, the Trump administration threatened to withhold SNAP funds from Democratic-led states that refuse to provide personal information about food stamp recipients.

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