REGION 3 NEWS RELEASE
March 20, 2019
Alexandria Business Owner Arrested for Money Laundering and Other Charges
Alexandria – On Thursday, March 14, 2019, investigators from the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations Insurance Fraud Unit/Alexandria Field Office, arrested Mohammad Abudayeh (O/M 25 yoa) of Alexandria, LA. Abudayeh was arrested for unauthorized use of supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) benefits, computer fraud, money laundering, racketeering, and bank fraud.
In June 2018, LSP’s Insurance Fraud Unit began an investigation pertaining to a local business/business owner (Food Mart, 2512 3rd Street, Alexandria) who was buying SNAP benefits (foods stamps) from local individuals. During the investigation, a person of interest (Abudayeh), was identified. From October 2017 to March 2019, Abudeyeh conducted over $1.2 million in Louisiana Purchase EBT (electronic benefit transfer) transactions, which was well above the amount a store that size should be conducting.
As a result of the investigation and information obtained, a search warrant was issued for Abudayeh’s business location and residence. Investigators seized approximately three hundred forty thousand dollars ($340,000.00) in U.S. currency and 11 cases of alcohol, at his residence, that was discovered to be stolen from a local grocery store. Following the search warrants, Abudayeh, who was already being held at the Rapides Parish Jail on an unrelated charge, was charged with these additional offenses.
Agencies involved in this investigation/arrest are Louisiana State Police, Louisiana Department of Child and Family Services, Louisiana Alcohol and Tobacco Control (ATC), Alexandria Police Department, Louisiana Department of Health, and the Alexandria City Fire Marshal’s Office.
The Louisiana State Police online reporting system is also available to the public through a convenient and secure reporting form that is submitted to the appropriate investigators. Citizens can access the form by visiting http://lsp.org/ and clicking the Suspicious Activity link.
Contact Information:
M/T Daniel “Scott” Moreau
Louisiana State Police
Public Affairs Section – Alexandria Region
Office: (318) 769-9USA (872)
scott.moreau@la.gov
http://www.lsp.org
facebook.com/LouisianaStatePolice
twitter.com/LAStatePolice
