Waltham Store Manager Charged With EBT-Related Fraud

The manager of a Waltham convenience store has been indicted on fraud charges in connection with purchases made under the state's EBT program for low-income residents, according to the Massachsuetts Attorney General's Office.

A state grand jury has indicted Hassan Mounajed, 30, of Fall River, on the following charges: procurement fraud, conspiracy to commit procurement fraud, larceny by false pretenses, access device fraud over $100 and conspiracy to committ access device fraud, according to the AG's office. Manjead was the manager of the Mirage Xpressway store on Maple Street.

Authorities allege Mounajed, also known as Sammi Hassan, essentially was pocketing money by defrauding the state's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly the Food Stamp program). The program, run by the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance, provides additional healthy food to low-income residents through EBT card purchases, which are similar to debit cards. An example of what police say Mounjead was doing: if a customer wanted $50 in cash, Mounjead would enter a fake $100 grocery sale on the register, according to the AG's office. Mounajed would then give the customer $50 and the state would credit the remaining $50 to store, according to the AG's office. 

Authorities searched the store in April after receiving information about the alleged scheme from the Quincy Police Department in November, according to the AG's office.