Clay Today staff

ORANGE PARK – Two Orange Park residents are among 21 store owners and clerks arrested in a Florida Department of Law Enforcement sting to uncover public assistance fraud statewide. 

Operation Cash Exchange targeted retailers illegally providing cash from government issued Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards which are authorized only for the purchase of approved food staples. The operation began Jan. 7 and culminated with the execution of search and arrest warrants at 15 stores in 10 cities on March 17, the FDLE said in a news release.

Among those arrested were Orange Park residents Assefa Abegaze, 58, and Yeshe Tefera, 47, who were both charged with bank fraud, scheme to defraud and public assistance fraud.  Both work at M&Y Food Store in Jacksonville.

During the operation, undercover operatives visited convenience stores, small grocery markets and gas stations and used food stamp benefits on undercover EBT cards to acquire cash and other items ineligible for purchase. 

Store owners and clerks rang through a transaction that indicated a food staple purchase, but then provided a portion of the transaction amount back to the undercover operative in the form of cash and retained a portion for themselves.  In most cases, few or no food items were purchased. 

FDLE said it will soon begin Phase II of the operation that will target actual public assistance recipients who illegally obtain cash through food stamp benefits on EBT cards.

“These stores were trafficking in taxpayer dollars,” said FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey.  “Taking cash from the food stamp program is a felony, and we rounded up retailers who were running this scam as a part of their daily routine.” 

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