Two Boston-area store owners were arrested and charged this week in what federal prosecutors describe as a large-scale scheme to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits — despite operating extremely small retail shops with limited inventory.
According to charging documents, Antonio Bonheur, 74, of Mattapan, and Saul Alisme, 21, of Hyde Park, allegedly used their respective variety stores to traffic SNAP benefits for cash and unauthorized items, generating redemption volumes that far exceeded what could reasonably be supported by their businesses.
ICYMI: Earlier today, federal charges were announced against two men for an alleged scheme that trafficked nearly $7 million in SNAP benefits through small variety stores in Boston's Mattapan neighborhood.
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— U.S. Attorney Massachusetts (@DMAnews1) December 17, 2025
Bonheur owned Jesula Variety Store, a roughly 150-square-foot shop. Alisme owned Saul Mache Mixe Store, approximately 500 square feet. Both operated out of single storefronts in the Mattapan neighborhood. Despite their size, investigators allege the stores routinely redeemed between $100,000 and $500,000 per month in SNAP benefits — figures that outpaced even nearby full-service supermarkets. One such supermarket in the same area reportedly averages about $82,000 per month in SNAP redemptions.
Transaction data cited in the charging documents raised immediate red flags. More than 70% of SNAP transactions exceeded $95, while only about 10% were under $40 — a spending pattern typically associated with large grocery stores, not small variety shops with limited food offerings.
No longer a conspiracy theory
US Attorney confirms shops are being setup with the sole purpose of exchanging SNAP benefits for cash
Multiple fake stores, one as small as 150 square feet cashing out as much as $480,000 in EBT per month
$7 million in food stamps turned into cash… pic.twitter.com/vQpKCTM45A
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Federal investigators also conducted undercover operations at both locations. During those visits, SNAP benefits were allegedly exchanged directly for cash on multiple occasions, with prosecutors stating that the defendants themselves worked the registers during the transactions. The stores were also allegedly observed accepting SNAP benefits in exchange for liquor, another violation of program rules.
In addition to the SNAP-related allegations, prosecutors claim both stores sold MannaPack meals, a donated food product produced by the nonprofit Feed My Starving Children. These meals are funded entirely through charitable donations and are intended for distribution to food-insecure children overseas. According to the charging documents, the meals were allegedly sold in the stores for approximately $8 per package, despite never being authorized for retail sale.
Investigators further allege that the stores carried minimal legitimate inventory and generated little lawful revenue, relying almost entirely on SNAP reimbursements for income. To conceal the source of those funds, the defendants allegedly moved money through multiple secondary bank accounts, withdrawing and redepositing cash to create the appearance of normal business activity.
Both defendants were arrested and are scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston. Each faces one count of food stamp fraud. If convicted, the charge carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fines of up to $250,000, with sentencing determined by a federal judge under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
