BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Ahmed Alshami and his family have run the IGA Community Express Mart on Ludington Street for the past five years. After being cited for several issues over the last year, Common Councilmember Rich Fontana has worked recently to have their license removed.
"I would witness sales of untaxed cigarettes and other illegal activity inside the store," said Fontana, D-Lovejoy District.
Some of the violations they face include selling secondhand merchandise without a license and leaving trash in their yard, but an indictment announced by the Erie County District Attorney's Office Tuesday brought much more serious issues for Alshami, who is now accused of walfare fraud.
Acting DA Michael Flaherty says Alshami bought EBT cards from people, typically paying them half of their value in cash. He would then use the food stamps to buy more than $3,800 of goods from big box stores like Tops and Wegmans.
"He would effectively use taxpayer money to buy provisions for his own store and sell them at retail, so he had an incredible competitive advantage over other stores in the area because the taxpayer was in essence underwriting the cost of him doing business," Flaherty said.
Alshami's wife, Nadia Alhaj, is on the paperwork as the store's owner. After consulting with the city's legal counsel, Fontana believes she could be charged as well.
"We think we might be able to make a case now where she was illegally benefiting from his illegal actions within her business," Fontana said.
Flaherty would not echo that opinion, but he said the investigation is not over.
"This defendant is not the only one we're looking at, and that's about as far as I'll go with that," Flaherty said.
As for Alshami, he is charged with criminal possession of public benefit cards in the second degree, misuse of food stamps and criminal use of a public benefit card in the first degree.
In a second indictment, he is also charged with burglary in the third degree following the theft of kitchen cabinets, baseboard heating units and a hot water tank from an unoccupied rental property back in March.
He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Bail is set for $2 million.
He faces 14 years in prison and could also face deportation. He is scheduled to be back in court on Oct. 20.
A hearing for the IGA Community Express Mart will take place on Thursday at City Hall.
Fontana says he hopes the City will be able to revoke the market's license for good. He adds regardless of the outcome of the hearing, he will not sign off for a business license on that property ever again.