State Police arrest owner and managers of supermarket on multiple embezzlement, SNAP fraud charges

The Rhode Island State Police announced that their Financial Crimes Unit arrested Marvin Taveras, Cassandra Diaz, and Marino Tavares for fraudulent use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, obtaining property by false pretenses, embezzlement and conspiracy.

In April the State Police received a complaint from the Rhode Island Department of Administration, Office of Internal Audit, Fraud Detection & Prevention Unit, which had investigated this case in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service Special Investigations Unit. The complaint alleged fraudulent use of food stamps by M&T Supermarket in Providence.

M&T Supermarket was incorporated by Marvin Taveras, and staffed and operated by Marino Taveras and Cassandra Diaz.

An initial review of SNAP transaction data was conducted which indicated multiple high dollar SNAP purchases of food items were being conducted on large online retail establishments, using multiple SNAP accounts. The related purchases/food orders were delivered to M&T Supermarket. Investigators cross-checked the identified SNAP accounts of clients and confirmed that none of them resided at 1059 Broad Street, the address of M&T Supermarket.

Marvin Taveras, Cassandra Diaz, and Marino Tavares were charged with Embezzlement and Fraudulent Conversion, Obtaining Property Under False Pretenses, Fraudulent Use of Credit Cards, Receipt of Money, Goods and Services Obtained by Fraudulent Use of Credit Cards, Fraudulent Use of Food Stamps, and Conspiracy in violation of the General Laws of Rhode Island. They were arraigned by a Justice of the Peace and released with a future court date.