CHICAGO — The owner of a Southwest Side grocery store received three and a half years in prison for stealing from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

Yousef Abu Alhawa stole more than $8.3 million from 2011 to 2019 as a grocery store owner in Chicago Lawn.

He fraudulently redeemed SNAP and WIC benefits for non-eligible items or cash and redeemed SNAP and WIC benefits on behalf of stores ineligible to participate.

Alhawa, 50, of Lockport, pleaded guilty last year to wire fraud and tax charges. He was also accused of filing false income tax returns from 2015 to 2017.

He was sentenced to 42 months in prison last week.

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