January 6, 2025, press release from the Ohio Department of Public Safety, Ohio Investigative Unit: CLEVELAND, OHIO — The Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office have announced the indictment of Hafedh Al-Gahim, 52, of Brooklyn, New York, and his company Buffalo Discount Corp. Al-Gahim and his company are accused of defrauding more than $125,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from Ohio recipients.

December 20, 2024, Press Release from the Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU): COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) is issuing an alert to small and medium-sized grocery stores and convenience stores across Ohio about an escalating threat of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card skimming fraud targeting SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) recipients. Criminal organizations have increasingly targeted SNAP-authorized retail locations with skimming devices designed to steal EBT card information. These devices primarily capture data from magnetic stripes rather than chip-enabled cards and tap-to-pay systems. The most common skimming method involves an overlay-type device placed over the keypad and magnetic swipe reader. These devices are strategically designed to capture card information and Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) from unsuspecting SNAP benefit recipients.