Atlanta meat market owner sentenced in $10M SNAP scheme
ATLANTA - Uttam Halder, the former proprietor of Big Daddy's Discount Meat in Atlanta, has been handed a 68-month federal prison sentence. The conviction stems from his involvement in a sophisticated $10 million scheme defrauding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The announcement was made by the U.S. Attorney's Office, revealing the details of Halder's operations that preyed on low-income recipients relying on SNAP benefits.
"The federal government trusted Halder to safeguard precious SNAP funds designed to alleviate hunger but he abused that trust to fuel his greed by profiting from a multimillion-dollar scheme to fraudulently redeem SNAP benefits," said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. "Despite Halder’s attempt to flee, the coordinated response from multiple agencies and foreign law enforcement returned him to the United States to face justice for his crimes."
"Today’s sentence serves not only as just punishment for this defendant but also as a notice to others who seek to prey on defrauding the taxpayer through SNAP," said Miles Davis, Special Agent-in-Charge, USDA-Office of Inspector General. "Purchasing those benefits for cash and sharing Point-of-Sale terminals will be vigorously investigated. This collaborative effort with our state and federal partners demonstrates that wherever you are, we will find you and fully hold you accountable for the law."
"Halder’s attempt to defraud the government and evade prosecution was thwarted due to the diligence of HSI and its law enforcement partners," said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony J. Patrone, who oversees HSI operations in Georgia and Alabama. "For those contemplating similar crimes, HSI will tirelessly pursue those engaged in fraud schemes that violate the public trust."
The saga began with Halder's establishment of Big Daddy's Discount Meat as a participating retailer in the SNAP initiative in 2014. Designed to combat hunger, SNAP aids families in purchasing food through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. However, between 2015 and 2020, Halder and his accomplices exploited this system, loaning EBT terminals to Food World and Big Brother Mini Supermarket, both of which violated program regulations by purchasing benefits for cash at significantly reduced rates.
The case took a dramatic turn when Halder, after being initially apprehended in January 2021, fled the country, breaching his bond conditions. His run from justice ended in Istanbul, where he was arrested by Turkish authorities in June 2023 following his attempted entry with fraudulent documents. Halder, a 42-year-old resident of Decatur, subsequently admitted guilt to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and failing to appear for court proceedings.
In a related proceeding, Paltu Roy, the 51-year-old operator of Big Brother Mini Supermarket from Stone Mountain, also faced justice. After pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in December 2021, Roy was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Michael L. Brown to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, Roy is mandated to pay over $3 million in restitution to the USDA for his part in the fraud.
This extensive investigation, spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations, underlines the federal government's commitment to safeguarding public funds and ensuring that aid programs serve their intended purpose. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan P. Kitchens led the prosecution, marking a significant win in the ongoing battle against SNAP fraud.