Thread: NY: 12 Indicted in Alleged $2 Million Food-Stamp Scam

12 indicted in alleged $2 million food-stamp scam

VIDEO: 12 indicted in $2 million food-stamp scam
ANGELICA A. MORRISON
Oct 06, 2009 @ 05:17 PM

ANGELICA A. MORRISON/ Observer-Dispatch Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente speaks during a press conference on Tuesday Oct. 6, 2009 in reference to 12 Utica residents indicted on charges of federal food stamp fraud.

By EMERSON CLARRIDGE
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Oct 06, 2009 @ 03:37 PM
Last update Oct 06, 2009 @ 08:41 PM

UTICA — As clerks at six city convenience stores time and time again swiped cards that each held hundreds of dollars in food stamp benefits, there never was food on the counters, federal authorities say.

Instead, they would hand customers cash with a wink and keep a percentage of the value of the food assistance cards, officials said.

The scheme was carried out over the last 18 months and netted the store owners and employees more than $2 million, according to an indictment handed up by a federal grand jury and unsealed Tuesday.

“Those arrested today are some of the worst profiteers that we encounter,â€

Each pleaded not guilty after listening to the indictments be read aloud in Arabic.

Aw, these folks should be given amnesty! May I say "over my deceased body?" And these employers should have their hiring records audited. A little jail time for all would send a powerful message.

I (Heart) NY! Only IAs wear that T-shirt anymore as Native New Yorkers are leaving in droves.

I can hardly wait to join the Exodus but personal circumstances demand I stay for at least two more years.

PS: As I have never embraced my fellow Americans from other parts of this country who moved to Manhattan after college then called themselves 'New Yorkers' I must admit that they are welcome to inherit this disaster. They helped create it so let them try to control the madness that will shortly engulf this city.

As a born and raised X-New Yorker.....I am glad I am out of there!!!!

Ratbstard wrote:
"PS: As I have never embraced my fellow Americans from other parts of this country who moved to Manhattan after college then called themselves 'New Yorkers' I must admit that they are welcome to inherit this disaster. They helped create it...."

As the overwhelming majority of your "fellow Americans" live in parts of this country other than Manhatten and NYC, perhaps you would like to offer factual proof of your assertion? It would seem to me that people "who moved to Manhatten after college" must constitute a very tiny segment of Manhatten's population...certainly not enough for them to wield the influence assigned to them in your statement. Thank you.

Texas2step

Originally Posted by Texas2step

Ratbstard wrote:
"PS: As I have never embraced my fellow Americans from other parts of this country who moved to Manhattan after college then called themselves 'New Yorkers' I must admit that they are welcome to inherit this disaster. They helped create it...."

As the overwhelming majority of your "fellow Americans" live in parts of this country other than Manhatten and NYC, perhaps you would like to offer factual proof of your assertion? It would seem to me that people "who moved to Manhatten after college" must constitute a very tiny segment of Manhatten's population...certainly not enough for them to wield the influence assigned to them in your statement. Thank you.

Texas2step

I've worked all over Manhattan for some 20 years now and have seen first hand the yuppification of most of the neighborhoods that used to be home to Native New Yorkers. Even Harlem is slowly being 'gentrified' and not by people who grew up in the city. Here in Brooklyn Park Slope and the Prospect Park area have been taken over by Yuppies too. Have you ever heard the term 'Bridge and Tunnel Crowd'? To a Native New Yorker it is very derogatory.

I am unaware of any real statistical analysis having ever been done though so in that sense you have a point. Let me ask you this though: How many Native Houstonians now live in Houston?

Ratbstard wrote:
"Here in Brooklyn Park Slope and the Prospect Park area have been taken over by Yuppies too. Have you ever heard the term 'Bridge and Tunnel Crowd'? To a Native New Yorker it is very derogatory.

I am unaware of any real statistical analysis having ever been done though so in that sense you have a point. Let me ask you this though: How many Native Houstonians now live in Houston?"

Reply:

I'll start with your last point first, which is, I believe, that the move to the cities (and in other parts of the country, their suburbs) has been a national trend since the 1970's. I don't know about Houston, but I do know that Plano, TX - formerly an unknown spot in the road in what is now called the "Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex" - has become known as the "Ultimate Yuppie Community", and that it also is one of the wealthiest areas not only in this country, but in the world. And I would be surprised to find very many Stetson hats or boots worn there except to a costume party!

However, I found the arrogance with which you spoke of those moving to Manhatten from "other parts of this country" entirely uncalled for, although it certainly reflects the provincialism which I have found characteristic of those native to the Northeast when I attended college there many years ago. Since it should be obvious from my atavar that I live in Texas, it is unlikely that I would have heard the term "Bridge and Tunnel Crowd" in NY. Further, no where did you address my original objection to your derogatory comments about this uncounted group of people who you feel have, in and of themselves, ruined Manhatten. That is, why do you attribute to them more power in changing New York than any other major city has been changed by similar burgeonings of population --many from "other parts of this country" and/or other countries --during the same time period?

For example, when we moved to Atlanta in 1967, it was a small, warm Southern city quietly proud of its heritage, its intelligent and hard working people, its gracious and welcoming manners, and its love of the arts. When my son (who was born and raised there) returned to visit friends in the 1990's, he found Atlanta to be, in his words, a "typical large, expensive, crime-ridden Northeastern city". While it is true that Atlanta did attract many new "settlers" -- not only from other parts of the country but from other parts of the world -- I believe that much of this change came as a result of the deliberate plans of Atlanta business leaders who believed that "bigger is better" and openly courted and recruited, not only this growth, but specifically this form of "multinational growth", for their city. I think probably that has been true in Manhatten, other parts of NYC, and many other U.S. urban areas as well.

In closing, as someone who was born and raised in a town of 3,400 inhabitants in the Middlewest, I would have thought that the "Bridge and Tunnel Crowd" referred to the urban homeless, whom we were told unfortunately lived under and in these named structures. We were taught to have compassion for such unfortunate folk.

However, I found the arrogance with which you spoke of those moving to Manhatten from "other parts of this country" entirely uncalled for

LOL are you a politician?

My WHOLE statement:As I have never embraced my fellow Americans from other parts of this country who moved to Manhattan after college then called themselves 'New Yorkers'

then called themselves 'New Yorkers' Leaving OUT that bit is like calling IAs just immigrants.

bridge and tunnel crowd

A term used by pompous out-of-staters who think they are superior to native New Yorkers (namely those from Jersey, the other 4 boroughs and Long Island who travel via bridge or tunnel to get to Manhattan.) Generally used by white-bred, sheltered, self-righteous "yuppies."
Perhaps an antonym would be "Train and Plane people".

Since I moved to NY, I feel inferior and intimidated by native new yorkers, so I refer to them as the, "bridge and tunnel crowd" to make myself feel better.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.p ... el%20crowd

I do know that Plano, TX - formerly an unknown spot in the road in what is now called the "Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex" - has become known as the "Ultimate Yuppie Community", and that it also is one of the wealthiest areas not only in this country, but in the world. And I would be surprised to find very many Stetson hats or boots worn there except to a costume party!

So if these yuppies were to put down actual native Planoians and claim themselves to be THE ACTUAL PLANOIANS you'd be just fine with that?

I have lived 17 of my 54 years outside of Brooklyn and not once did I ever hold myself above those who lived and were native to the area I MOVED TOO.

Ratbstard,
Since I am not a native New Yorker, the meaning of most of what you wrote, much of it involving the geography of the boroughs of N.Y., completely eludes me. Also, if there was any humor in your observations, this went past me, too. My reference to people in the upscale community of Plano, TX, who probably would wear hats and boots only to a costume party was my mild attempt at the latter. And I'm sure that my opinion of their community--comprising row after row after row of overwhelming large and expensive modern homes on emerald green lawns, here in the arrid West--is absolutely the farthest thing from the minds of Plano's residents, regardless of where they came from originally.

Here's my thought: you have had your say; I have had mine. Now let's please work together with others here to oppose illegal immigration to the United States, which is, after all, the purpose of this site. I hope this is agreeable to you.

Originally Posted by Texas2step

Ratbstard,
Since I am not a native New Yorker, the meaning of most of what you wrote, much of it involving the geography of the boroughs of N.Y., completely eludes me. Also, if there was any humor in your observations, this went past me, too. My reference to people in the upscale community of Plano, TX, who probably would wear hats and boots only to a costume party was my mild attempt at the latter. And I'm sure that my opinion of their community--comprising row after row after row of overwhelming large and expensive modern homes on emerald green lawns, here in the arrid West--is absolutely the farthest thing from the minds of Plano's residents, regardless of where they came from originally.

Here's my thought: you have had your say; I have had mine. Now let's please work together with others here to oppose illegal immigration to the United States, which is, after all, the purpose of this site. I hope this is agreeable to you.

Sorry I don't accept that lame apology. I was very insulted by this:

However, I found the arrogance with which you spoke of those moving to Manhatten from "other parts of this country" entirely uncalled for, although it certainly reflects the provincialism which I have found characteristic of those native to the Northeast when I attended college there many years ago.

I realize you may have misinterpreted the intent of my original statement but to jump to such conclusions indicates to me that YOU have unwarranted prejudices against New Yorkers. Furthermore you have passed them onto your son who described his visit to Atlanta as it having become a northeast city.

I grew up loving and defending those who lived on my block, those who lived in my neighborhood, those who lived in my Borough, those who lived in my city, my state and my nation.

Is that not how natives of your town grew up?

I am sorry this discussion is on an open thread but I can't figure out how to start a PM to you.