Broward store owner accused of using $500,000 in stolen SNAP benefits to buy merchandise for resale

A Broward convenience store owner is facing federal charges for allegedly participating in a years-long scheme to defraud the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) of more than $500,000 by buying food stamp benefits for cash and using them to purchase merchandise for resale, the Department of Justice announced Friday.Al Amin, 52, of Hollywood, is accused of conspiring with others to purchase Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards from SNAP recipients for approximately half the value of their available benefits, according to federal court records.Investigators said Amin and his alleged co-conspirators then used the cards to purchase large quantities of merchandise from various retailers.Authorities allege Amin used some of the merchandise to stock his convenience store and sold additional products to other store owners in the area. A photograph provided by the DOJ shows a man standing next to a large cart stacked with cases of Red Bull and Monster energy drinks inside a reta