Staff Reports
A new criminal complaint filed this week in Hennepin County accuses a Minneapolis grocer of trafficking more than $1.1 million in SNAP benefits. The case centers on allegations that the owner of Minnesota Food Grocery LLC used other people’s EBT cards to buy bulk items at wholesale clubs, then resold those goods at his store. That single filing is another reminder that program abuse can be big, brazen, and costly — and it deserves serious answers from leaders in Minnesota and Washington.
What prosecutors say about the $1.14 million SNAP fraud
Hennepin County prosecutors say Abdidwahid Shalle Mohamed received about $1,141,082 in EBT payments during the alleged scheme. The complaint covers transactions reported between March and August of 2021 and charges a felony count for trafficking SNAP benefits — an offense that can carry heavy prison time and large fines under state law. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office told local reporters that SNAP is meant to put food on the table for low-income Minnesotans and that deliberate theft of those resources is “absolutely unacceptable.”
How investigators say the scheme worked
According to the charging document, Mohamed allegedly used EBT cards registered to other people to buy items such as energy drinks and baby formula at wholesale outlets like Sam’s Club and Costco. Walmart’s Global Investigation Team flagged suspicious EBT transactions and alerted the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which led to surveillance. Prosecutors say surveillance video and GPS data tied the wholesale purchases to Mohamed’s West Lake Street store, and many of the cardholders whose benefits were used told agents they had not been shopping at those locations — some saying they were even overseas at the time.
Political reaction and the broader oversight debate
Republican congressional candidate Dalia al‑Aqidi seized on the filing to criticize local and state leadership and to argue for tougher oversight of benefit programs. That line of attack will be familiar this election season: when high-dollar fraud shows up, campaigns rush in to make it a symbol of failed enforcement and lax program controls. But this isn’t just political theater. The complaint ties into a string of recent high-profile fraud prosecutions in Minnesota that helped push lawmakers to consider stronger anti-fraud tools, including a proposed Office of Inspector General to oversee public funds.
Why this case matters and what should happen next
Big schemes like this do more than cost taxpayers money — they erode trust in programs meant to protect the most vulnerable. Prosecutors say they will seek to recover funds and hold the defendant accountable, and that’s exactly what should happen. But criminal cases and headlines are only part of the answer. Lawmakers and administrators need better prevention, faster data-sharing with retailers and investigators, and tougher consequences for businesses that traffic benefits. Minnesotans deserve a welfare system that helps people in need — not one that lines the pockets of fraudsters or leaves taxpayers picking up the tab.
