Man stole almost $900K in SNAP funds, sent some to the West Bank, officials say

A 51-year-old man is behind bars after he was accused of stealing more than $862,000 in government benefits and sending a portion of the money to the West Bank. Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia said in a news release that Anwar Jouda is charged with first-degree grand theft, organized scheme to defraud and criminal use of personal ID. He was arrested Thursday in St. Lucie County, but investigators said the crimes were committed in Miami-Dade. According to investigators, Jouda stole the identity information of a victim and their SNAP-authorized business and then diverted money into his own accounts through fraudulent merchant applications, forged documents, falsified banking information, and deceptive communications. The scheme resulted in the diversion of $862,394.95 in SNAP funds for Jouda s own financial benefit, authorities said. He allegedly sent some of that money via wire transfers to the West Bank in the Middle East. The judge set Jouda s bond a