Businesses targeted by FBI connected to people twice convicted of food stamp fraud
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland and Garfield Heights businesses searched Wednesday by the FBI are connected to people previously convicted in criminal cases involving food stamp fraud, according to court and property records.
At least three of the targeted businesses are tied to members of the Salem family. An FBI spokeswoman would not confirm the nature of the investigation, saying the warrants authorizing the search were filed under seal.
The spokeswoman only confirmed that the FBI and other agencies were at gas stations at Fulton Road in Cleveland, on Harvard Avenue in Cleveland and Rockside and Turney roads in Garfield Heights. She also said agents searched other businesses in the Cleveland area.
Members of the Salem family, who are tied to multiple gas stations and businesses throughout the Cleveland area, have been prosecuted two times in the past 25 years. Brothers Amin and Sami Salem, both of Westlake, were the first people in Ohio sent to prison for food stamp fraud.
Read more: http://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/index.ssf/2016/11/businesses_targeted_by_fbi_con.html