Brooklyn: shopkeepers who traded food coupons arrested

As part of a raid on stores in New York - last night (Wednesday) Haredi shopkeepers in Boro Park and Williamsburg were arrested.

According to VIN website, NYPD is investigating a phenomenon whereby shopkeepers trade in food stamps of the welfare authorities granted to needy families. It is suspected that some families prefer to convert the coupons for money. These will receive 80 cents for every dollar.

Vouchers are provided to families only for acquisition of basic food and trade in them is a violation of law. Families are meant to buy milk, bread, yellow cheese, peanut butter and orange juice with the coupons.

But many haredi families in Brooklyn convert food stamps for money or acquire other food products with them, which are not included in the WIC program.

Allegedly, store owners managed to purchase 20 thousand food stamps a month. According to the procedure required, store owners must fill out a form of products purchased and attach the invoice to them. In the case of converting food stamps, the invoices are faked.

As mentioned, yesterday investigators of the authorities raided shops in Williamsburg and 13th Avenue in Boro Park at once, and arrested shop owners.

Assisted in preparing this article: Aryeh Rabinowitz, New York

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