Broken Arrow Man Pleads Guilty To Stealing Nearly $300,000 From Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

TULSA, Okla. — Milton Islam, 46, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and the owner of Apache Food Mart in Tulsa, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty today to stealing approximately $282,912 from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, announced Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.

Islam admitted that from May 26, 2011 to July 31, 2014, he stole $282,912 from SNAP using a scheme in which customers used their SNAP benefits at Apache Food Mart to receive cash, rather than nutritional assistance. The cash customers received was only half the amount that Islam received from SNAP.  SNAP offers nutrition assistance to millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families.

Sentencing is set for August 11, 2015, before United States District Court Chief Judge Gregory K. Frizzell. Islam faces the statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and fine of up to twice the loss amount or $565,824. In addition to prison incarceration, Islam faces a criminal forfeiture money judgment of $282,912.

The case was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture-Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Clinton J. Johnson, Shannon Cozzoni, and Catherine Depew prosecuted the case.

To report suspicious Nutrition Assistance fraud, contact the United States Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General at 1 (800) 424-9121. For information on SNAP, visit www.fns.usda.gov/snap.