Manchester Convenience Store Employee Admits To Defrauding Federal Food Stamp Program

An employee of the Manchester Quick Mart has pleaded guilty to defrauding the federal food stamps, or SNAP, program.

Some Manchester Quick Mart employees charged a 40-percent-or-more premium to use their SNAP benefits on illegal items such as gas and penis pills.
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07/23/2020 4:00 p.m.

Siddiq Chaudhary, 70, of South Windsor, pleaded guilty on July 23 to conspiracy to commit food stamp fraud and food stamp fraud. He is out on a $100,000 bail and will be sentenced in October, according to the Connecticut U.S. Attorney’s Office. Chaudhary faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

The federal Supplemental Nutrition and Assitance Program, SNAP, gives funding to low-income households to boost their ability to purchase healthy foods. SNAP benefits can only be used on food items.

While working at the Manchester Quick Mart, 262 Oakland St., Manchester, from November 2016 through January, Chaudhary and other employees illegally allowed customers to redeem food stamps for cash benefits and to purchase unauthorized items, including gasoline and male enhancement pills, the state Attorney's Office said.

Chaudhary and the others were charging food stamp recipients a premium of 40 percent or more for the illegal transactions, the state Attorney’s Office said.

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