A Dayton, Ohio, Muslim imam and businessman
was indicted on 46 federal counts of conspiring to defraud the food stamp program. The
Dayton Daily News reports that Al-Idu Al-Gaheem and employees
Abdul Qadir, Abdul Yamini Sr. and Omar Yahya were indicted for the alleged theft of $3.8 million of food
stamps and money laundering. Al-Gaheem is an imam at the Masjid
At-Taqwa mosque in Dayton and owns three local businesses. The
stores and markets owned by Al-Gaheem were raided by authorities after a
19-month undercover investigation.

Here are some facts about the Dayton money
laundering investigation and food stamp fraud:

* An unsealed federal grand jury indictment
released earlier this week alleges that the business owner and his associated
participated in wire fraud, money laundering and illegally structuring food
stamp transactions, according to the Dayton Daily News.

* WHIO TV News reports that the defendants stand accused of illegally
exchanging or redeeming food stamps for cash or ineligible items more the 1,000
times. Food stamp benefits were allegedly traded for alcohol, clothing and
tobacco.

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