Food Stamp Program Fraud Sentence

United States Attorney Andrew T. Baxter announced today that Wael “Bill” Deb, 43, of Camillus, New York was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue to serve 32 months in federal prison following his conviction for participating in a scheme to defraud the Food Stamp Program while operating the A Shack Market on Midland Avenue in Syracuse, New York. Deb was also ordered to pay an additional $345,000.00 in restitution and serve 36 months of supervised release.

Deb’s sentencing resulted from his guilty plea to exchanging cash at fifty cents on the dollar for food stamp benefits, and by allowing food stamp recipients to use their electronic benefit cards to pay cell phone and utility bills.

The evidence against Deb was developed when an informant working with the Syracuse Police Department and criminal investigators from the United States Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General exchanged food stamp benefits for cash using an undercover electronic benefit card. Several months later, Special Agents from the United States Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General, the Syracuse Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service, the New York State Police, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation searched the A Shack Market on Midland Avenue where they found additional evidence of the scheme. Further investigation by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General established that Deb had defrauded the Food Stamp Program of at least $400,000.00.

United States Attorney Baxter had high praise for the collaborative efforts of those agencies that participated in this case. Mr. Baxter noted that “various law enforcement agencies working together in a coordinated and operative fashion is essential for the effective investigation of complex criminal activities such as these.” This prosecution was handled in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Greg West.

Further inquiries can be directed to the United States Attorney’s Office at 315- 448-0672.