ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Federal authorities say two men who ran a food store in Syracuse have been ordered to repay $1.7 million and have been sentenced to prison for their roles in food stamp fraud.
According to prosecutors, the owner and operator of Mama’s Imports, Ebrima Krubally, and employee Alieu Jaiteh, previously pleaded guilty to federal fraud conspiracy charges.
Authorities say they exchanged food stamp benefits for discounted amounts of cash or non-food items from 2009 to 2012.
The 46-year-old Krubally of Syracuse has been sentenced to two years in prison while Jaiteh has been sentenced to 18 months and faces possible deportation to Gambia.
Federal Judge Glenn Suddaby ordered the restitution.
Authorities say Krubally, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Gambia, had been employed by the state Transportation Department as an engineer.
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