Davie man accused in $2.8 million SNAP fraud scheme, Florida CFO says

Angie DiMichele, South Florida Sun Sentinel on May 12, 2026

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A Davie man is facing seven felonies stemming from a $2.8 million scheme to defraud the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the federal program that helps low-income families buy nutritious food, state officials say.

Abbas Rehman, 33, was arrested April 30 by the Department of Financial Services Criminal Investigations Division. He was released from a Miami-Dade County jail on Thursday after posting bail on a $50,000 bond, court records show.

Rehman was identified as a suspect during an investigation into allegations of SNAP fraud at a market in Miami called Seven Stars Market, according to an arrest warrant affidavit written by a state Bureau of Public Assistance Fraud investigator. The investigation led to the arrests of the operator and owner of the market, Fidelina Othman, as well as her husband, Ibrahim Shaqour.

Rehman allegedly acted in the scheme by using his position as a sales agent for MBD Noah, Inc. and Elite Card Services — two Independent Sales Organizations, which act as middlemen to help retailers “establish the ability to accept electronic payments through a payment processor,” according to the warrant.

The investigation found that Rehman allegedly submitted fraudulent merchant applications and “manipulated” bank deposit information by using stolen identities of four USDA-authorized retailer businesses, according to a news release from the office of Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia.

The applications were filed under the legitimate identities of the USDA retailers, including with their assigned Food and Nutrition Service numbers, making it appear as if the accounts were valid and properly linked to authorized retailers who participated in SNAP benefits, according to the warrant. The SNAP funds were diverted to Othman and Shaqour, who were not affiliated with the authorized retailers.

The investigator noted five incidents of alleged identity theft schemes from 2021 to 2023 involving Rehman, where he submitted either fraudulent changes to depository bank information for merchant accounts or submitted a fraudulent merchant application, the warrant said.

In total, the scheme redirected $1.28 million in fraudulent SNAP funds into bank accounts controlled by Othman and Shaqour, the warrant said, while Rehman allegedly diverted $1.59 million in SNAP benefits for his own use.

He faces five counts of fraudulent use of personal identification information, one count of organized fraud of $50,000 or more and one count of first-degree grand theft, court records show. He had not entered a plea as of Monday.