VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A Volusia County man, busted twice for food stamp fraud, will spend the next 9 months in prison.
Matthew Abu Diab was arrested, accused of buying food stamp cards for pennies on the dollar and using the money he received to stock the shelves of the 4M Food Mart in Daytona Beach.
A detective from the Daytona Beach Police Department and agents from the Secret Service were in court on as a judge sentenced Abu Diab for food stamp fraud Monday..
Police said Abu Diab was first arrested in 2013 for buy the EBT cards illegally.
"He immediately went right back out, started doing exactly the same thing, didn't hesitate for a second what he was doing and now he's paying the price for it," said Detective Scott Frantz, with the Daytona Beach Police Department.
In court Abu Diab asked the judge for mercy. He explained the 4M store belonged to his father, Bassam Abu Diab, who was also arrested in 2013 and accused of food stamp fraud. Matthew Abu Diab blamed his father for getting him into running the store illegally.
"My dad kind of dumped it on to me because he couldn't be there and he, it really was a guilt trip," said Matthew Abu Diab.
Police said they estimate the Abu Diabs were making between $150,000 to $200,000 a year defrauding the government food stamp program.
Mathew Au Diab's attorney claimed his client was unaware, even though he violated his probation committing the same crime again.
"He was 23. He didn't really know what he was doing. I think he just kind of did whatever his dad told him to do and now he ended up with these really serious charges," said attorney Linda Hadad.
Matthew Abu Diab's girlfriend and child watched as a judge sentenced him.
WFTV
