Gregory A. White, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, today announced that a two-count felony information was filed, charging three brothers and their two businesses with one count each of conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Charged in the information were: Maher J. Ali, 33, Mazen J. Ali, 31, and Munier J. Ali, 25, all of Westlake, Ohio, along with their businesses, D.N.A. Selesteen, Inc. dba Goldcoast Food Market, a small convenience store located at 1076 E. 105th Street, Cleveland, Ohio, and Glentrade, Inc., a wholesale business located at 12120 Madison Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio.

According to the information, between October 1998 and March 2006, the defendants engaged in approximately $575,000.00 worth of food stamp fraud and WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) trafficking at Goldcoast Food Market.

In addition, the information alleges that the defendants purchased items of stolen property, including baby formula, over the counter medications, and electronic devices, from various individuals and then resold the stolen items to other businesses in Michigan, Florida, Kentucky, and Columbus, Ohio. The information further alleges that, between May 2005 and March 2006, Mazen J. Ali traveled with others throughout Ohio and neighboring states, including Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, in order to steal baby formula, over the counter medications, and electronic devices. The information alleges that the defendants sold more than $2 million of stolen property to the other businesses.

The information further alleges that the defendants used proceeds from the illegal activity to purchase a Cadillac Escalade, a Mercedes Benz S-500, private residences in North Olmsted and Westlake, Ohio, and commercial properties in Cleveland. The information also alleges that in 2004, the defendants took approximately $350,000 to Amman, Jordan.

These charges arose from an investigation by agents of the Northern Ohio Organized Crime and Money Laundering Task Force, consisting of agents and investigators from the Secret Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division, U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, United States Postal Inspection Service, the Cleveland Police Department, and the Westlake Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas J. Gruscinski.

An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.