Round & Round We Go On The Carousel of Food Stamp Fraud…

55 High St.,  AGAIN an address at which the very same fraudulent activity was discovered in 2011.  The owner of the bodega in 2011, was Rafi Alamgir.  He was caught with $10,000+  in fraudulent food stamp transactions and was sentenced to 3 mo’s in jail / 3 years probation.  Rafi has a checkered history of run-in’s with the law, prior to his arrest in 2011.  Receiving stolen merchandise, driving with suspended license, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, driving without insurance.

And now, the recent arrest of Kuldip Kaur at 55 High St. also netted drug paraphernalia.  The owner of the building is Sikander Bhangu/King of Prussia.

It’s not difficult to draw a parallel between drugs and “cash back” transactions from Access Cards.

The 2011 bust also caught the owner of the Daisy Mae Store at 344 Beech St. for $47,443 in fraud, he got 5 yrs. probation YET the store remains open and STILL accepts food stamps.  In ether case it appears that they were not ordered to pay restitution.  Their sentences seem a meager price to pay, well worth the risks that they are willing to take for very lucrative crimes.  The owner of 344 Beech St. is NICKCHAD, LLC  Alisa Levin/Quakertown.

This raises more questions than answers.

How do the feds and the state determine who can be authorized to accept access cards?   Do they run criminal background checks before hand? (seems like a good idea).  What kind of licensing and/or inspections are required of merchants who run bodegas and corner stores in the borough?

434 Charlotte, the location of the 2nd bust on Friday was leased, last year, by the same people that run or work at the Achi Store at 315 High St. People that live and work around the Charlotte St. location say it was a “no brainer” they were selling drugs from the shop and, now we know, also committing food stamp fraud.  Does this come as any real surprise to anyone?  434 Charlotte is owned by Donald Connor / Potttstown while 315 High St. shows no address on the MontCo Property Records.

The owner of the Achi store and an employee are heading to trial this week on charges of selling K-2 from the High St. location and yet, business associates of these men were permitted to open a 2nd location, also authorized to accept Access Cards.

OK it wasn’t the same people that were arrested but, in all likelihood, these very savvy business people set up  family members or friends to transfer ownership, (on paper), while they go through the legal process.  My guess?  As soon as they are out on probation they are back to the same old routine, orchestrating fraud and setting others up to continue the business model.

The underground, criminal economy in Pottstown is alive and well, at the expense of legitimate businesses and taxpayers.  Another crumbling brick in the wall of the efforts of those who are engaged in attracting new businesses and other revitalization activities.

Pottstown is a revolving door for these criminals.  Taxpayers also incur the costs of the Inspector General’s investigations and police services. Who’s benefiting?  The property owners who rent to these people, for one, the perpetrators of fraud, druggies and drug dealers, there is an obvious trickle down effect here.

These busts make good press for the Inspector General and the police.  Pottstown is ripe for the pickin’, especially when the same addresses are involved over and over again, it might look like something is being done to protect the taxpayers and prosecute the criminals but, we see no real reform.

The borough can take action NOW on a local level to reduce the numbers of corner stores and bodegas in the core neighborhoods, by the creative use of codes enforcement, zoning and licensing requirements.  There are probably 100+1 more tools in the borough’s tool kit but finding them will require dedication.

Do they want to put a stop to it?  If not, why not?

There is no question that these businesses contribute crime, including fraud and increased drug activity to our community.  There are federal laws that enable the police to seize properties used in the commission of crimes.  It requires excellent police work, proven by a “preponderance of the evidence” but then, isn’t it obvious that these buildings are substantially linked to criminal activity?  It’s particularly alarming that one of the properties is owned by a resident and businessman of Pottstown.

It’s time for the borough to set their legal beagle in the direction of sniffing out all possible avenues to permanently close down  55 High St,  344 Beech St., 315 High St. and 434 Charlotte St.  Make it unprofitable for the owners of these properties to bring in “dirty” rent money and, for criminals to prosper in our community.

Take a look at what successful municipalities are doing and follow their lead, that would be time and taxpayer money well spent.

This is not the Merry – Go – Round that’s been envisioned for Pottstown.  It’s time to shut down the criminal elements and make way for new business, homeowners and the REAL Pottstown Carousel.

Our Say Mercury, March 20, 2013