CT Convenience Store Owner, Worker Charged With Defrauding Government

The owner of a convenience store in the region and an employee at the store were charged with food stamp fraud offenses for allegedly allowing customers to redeem their food stamp benefits for cash and ineligible items.

The business is located at 262 Oakland Street in Manchester.
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Nicole Valinote

10/04/2021 11:00 a.m.

Javed Saeed, age 52, and Dastgir Saeed, age 68, were arrested on Wednesday, Sept. 29, according to Leonard Boyle, acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

Boyle said Javed is the owner of the Hartford County convenience store and Mobil gas station, called Manchester Quick Mart, and Dastgir helped operate the store.

The defendants, who are both from South Windsor, were released on bonds pending trial.

The business is located at 262 Oakland Street in Manchester.

The indictment alleged that between November 2016 and January 2020, Javed and Dastgir, along with others, illegally allowed customers to use their food stamp benefits for cash and items that aren't eligible, including male enhancement pills and gasoline.

Boyle said the defendants allegedly "charged the customers’ food stamp cards a premium of nearly 50 percent for these transactions."

Javed and Dastgir were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit food stamp fraud and one count of food stamp fraud, the US Attorney's Office said.

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