The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it began investigating an alleged multimillion-dollar fraud scheme “as soon as” SNAP benefit redemptions spiked at a tiny Boston retail store, blasting the Healey administration for a “massive dereliction of duty.”

Antonio Bonheur, 74, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Haiti living in Mattapan, is set to appear in federal court on Friday after being arrested and charged with one count of food stamp fraud in connection with the scheme that netted nearly $7 million.

Bonheur allegedly trafficked SNAP benefits valued at $6.9 million over three years through the Jesula Variety Store that he owns on Blue Hill Avenue in Mattapan.

Antonio Bonheur, owner of Jesula Variety Store. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

After Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Leah Foley brought the case to light on Wednesday, Gov. Maura Healey said that her administration reported the “suspicious activity” to the feds in November 2024.

Charging documents show that the total value of SNAP redemptions at Bonheur’s started to spike months before, increasing from $6,467 in October 2023 to $157,937 in March 2024. The value skyrocketed to a monthly high of $358,472 this October.

Jesula Variety Store began accepting SNAP benefits in September 2021, according to charging documents.

Bonheur is accused of submitting a fraudulent application for SNAP benefits, which he started receiving in 2022. He allegedly claimed that he didn’t have an income, but he failed to list his ownership of the business.

Since 2022, Bonheur has allegedly received roughly $10,821.66 in SNAP benefits, averaging to $338 per month.

Todd Bucci, a federal special agent investigating the scheme, stated in charging documents that Bonheur wouldn’t have qualified for the benefits if his “true income information were disclosed in his application.”

Foley, the Bay State’s top federal prosecutor, echoed Bucci’s stance during a Wednesday news conference, saying: “It appears that the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance conducted virtually no diligence when reviewing his application.”

Gov. Healey’s office pointed out how Bonheur started receiving benefits under the Baker administration and that the USDA, not DTA, “manages the retailer’s application review and approval, and enforcement of reported fraud or suspicious transactions.”

A USDA spokesperson told the Herald Thursday, “While the initial trafficking investigation did not yield results, an analytics investigation did.”

“As expected, the Governor will blame anyone but her administration for this massive dereliction of duty. But facts do matter,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “We appreciate the work of the Department’s Office of the Inspector General for taking on the investigation, and in collaboration with others, bringing this massive fraud case to light.”

Saul Alisme, 21, of Hyde Park, has also been charged in connection with the “criminal enterprise,” as the Haitian national allegedly owned the Saul Mache Mixe Store, within the same Mattapan storefront as Bonheur’s store.

Alisme is believed to have trafficked over $121,890 in SNAP benefits since this past May, according to charging documents. Both defendants allegedly exchanged benefits for cash.

Saul Alisme, owner of Saul Mache Mixe Store. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

The two are also accused of selling meals paid for entirely by charitable donations intended for shipment and distribution to food-insecure children overseas that are not authorized for retail sale.

This all comes as the Trump administration has demanded that states turn over data on individual SNAP recipients, including Social Security numbers, dates of birth and immigration status as part of its effort to root out fraud.

Healey spokesperson Karissa Hand told the Herald that the nearly $7 million fraud case isn’t changing the governor’s stance on not handing over SNAP data to the feds.

“This information has nothing to do with and no connection to identifying or prosecuting fraud and abuse,” Hand said in a statement. “Massachusetts will continue to stand with the families of our state by not turning over their private information to President Trump.”

The Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office is aware of Healey’s resistance and of that found in other Democratic states.

“There is no privacy right that protects your fraudulent criminal behavior,” Foley said on Wednesday. “Public assistance programs are a lifeline. We will not allow them to be treated as a criminal revenue stream.”

All three Republican gubernatorial candidates – Mike Kennealy, Brian Shortsleeve and Mike Minogue – are sounding off on how they believe the scandal illustrates that Healey has “little insight or control” over state agencies.

“What makes this even more troubling is that the Governor is now risking SNAP benefits altogether by refusing to provide required identification and benefit data,” Minogue said. “We need to eliminate waste and fraud in Massachusetts and America.”

The Massachusetts DTA has a section on its website that provides information on how individuals can report suspected fraud in the food stamps or economic assistance programs.

“Preventing fraud, waste and abuse is a top priority of the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA),” the website states, “to ensure that every SNAP and economic assistance dollar goes to individuals and families who need it.”

“If you suspect fraud,” it adds, “you do not need to tell us who you are to make a complaint. In your report, please provide us with as many details as possible about the fraud. We appreciate your help in attempting to reduce fraud.”