Two Haitian Immigrants Charged in Alleged $7 Million SNAP Benefits Fraud Scheme in Boston, MA.

Boston, MA - December 17, 2025 - Federal authorities have charged two men with operating a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme involving the trafficking of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits through small retail stores in Boston's Mattapan neighborhood.

Antonio Bonheur, 74, of Mattapan, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Haiti, and Saul Alisme, 21, of Hyde Park, a lawful permanent resident also from Haiti, were each charged with one count of food stamp fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts.Prosecutors allege that Bonheur, owner of Jesula Variety Store, trafficked approximately $6.8 million to $6.9 million in SNAP benefits since 2022, while Alisme, owner of Saul Mache Mixe Store, trafficked about $122,000 since May 2025. The two stores operated within the same small storefront at 1549 Blue Hill Avenue, Mattapan MA.

Despite their limited size-Jesula Variety Store measuring around 150 square feet and Saul Mache Mixe Store about 500 square feet-the businesses reportedly processed monthly SNAP redemptions ranging from $100,000 to $500,000, far exceeding the typical $82,000 monthly average for a full-service supermarket in the area, officials said.U.S. Attorney Leah Foley described the stores as having minimal legitimate food inventory, no refrigerators, no shopping carts or scanners, and little eligible stock that could support such volumes.

"There is no plausible way SNAP-eligible food could have been purchased from these stores for this long," Foley stated during a press conference.

Undercover operations allegedly confirmed that benefits were exchanged for cash on multiple occasions, with agents observing transactions where SNAP funds were traded for cash or used to purchase ineligible items like liquor. Prosecutors also allege the men sold MannaPack meals-donated charitable food packages intended for distribution in food-insecure regions and not authorized for retail sale-for around $8 to $10 per package.Both defendants allegedly worked the cash registers during these transactions and used multiple bank accounts to conceal the proceeds.

Bonheur and Alisme were arrested on December 17 and appeared in federal court for arraignment. The charge of food stamp fraud carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

The case has sparked debate over program oversight, with federal officials criticizing state vetting processes and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey's administration stating it alerted federal authorities to suspicious activity in November 2024.

The investigation involved the USDA Office of Inspector General and the FBI. The case remains ongoing, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.