The doors are locked and a notice of non-payment from National Grid is pasted to the front of El Primo Restaurant in Leominster after federal authorities nabbed its owner and three others for allegedly conducting a $1 million SNAP fraud scheme.

The grill has gone cold, too, as the locals say the empanadas were not bad.

On Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley announced the arrests of Raul Fernandez Vicioso — a naturalized citizen from the Dominican Republic — along with two illegal immigrants and one green card holder. Vicioso owns El Primo, which has been permanently closed since he was arrested.

“I didn’t notice it at the time, but after I saw the news that they were arrested, I realized they rarely had any food deliveries,” said the manager of a liquor store next door to El Primo. “They weren’t the worst people to have as a neighboring business, but they liked their beer, I know that. On Friday and Saturday nights they would lock up and it’d be a party in there.”

Vicioso and his co-defendants allegedly stole identities from U.S. citizens in several states, using them to obtain over $440,000 in SNAP benefits, including $325,000 worth from Rhode Island and $115,000 from Massachusetts. The crew then used the stolen benefits to purchase bulk amounts of food to resell for a profit at the Leominster restaurant,

While mostly making these bulk purchases at local wholesalers, at least one suspicious purchase was made just three doors down at Big Mania Meat Market — located in the same shopping plaza, according to an affidavit from a special agent with the USDA. Big Mania Meat Market remains open, and according to employees, no arrests have been made.

“In May 2024, a SNAP transaction using a Rhode Island EBT card issued to a victim identity occurred at Big Mania Meat Market, which is located in the same shopping plaza as El Primo Restaurant,” the affidavit states, also sharing an image from store surveillance footage showing subjects believed to be the defendants making a purchase for $1,090.86 and leaving without any items.

Big Mania Meat Market was named in the USDA affidavit as a location the defendants spent over $1,000 for no products at (Tim Dunn/Boston Herald).

The affidavit says the crew made another purchase at Big Mania Meat Market in June 2024 for $710.02 using a Rhode Island EBT card, leaving this time with just a single bottle of chocolate milk.

Store employees were puzzled about any alleged involvement with El Primo.

“I don’t remember that. I remember he got a little bit of stuff, but I don’t know if it was $1,000,” an employee told the Herald. “They buy stuff. He was here like every day.”

The owner and manager of Big Mania Meat Market could not be reached for comment.

“They know what’s going on. The guy who got arrested spent over a thousand dollars there and brought out nothing. They also speak English just fine. They’re playing dumb if they say they didn’t know about anything,” said the liquor store manager.

Other businesses not located directly next door to El Primo did not have much to say about the restaurant or its owners and staff. They all indicated it was a popular spot for lunch during weekdays, but nothing they did ever raised any suspicions of wrongdoing. Some hungry locals, unaware of the recent fraud bust, were left confused to see El Primo.

“No way! Seriously? I came here for lunch all the time. That’s wild,” said one woman who arrived to find locked doors at the restaurant. “They seemed like alright guys to me. I liked their food a lot.”

Andrew, who manages a bike repair shop in the same plaza, told the Herald El Primo workers were “the nicest guys in the world.” He added he only saw a few vehicles coming and going and not staying long.

El Primo has a 3.2-star rating on Yelp, with mixed reviews, with the eatery boasting about its empanada de carne, beef pie, roasted pork, and mofongo con carnitas frita, a Puerto Rican comfort dish featuring garlicky mashed green plantains (mofongo) with crispy, fried pork chunks.

“Not that good. And they forget half your order. Not authentic idk who’s cooking the food,” said one Yelp user.

“I love this place! It’s become a Sunday spot to grab lunch. Staff is super friendly. Prices are reasonable,” said another.

The news of this latest scheme was uncovered just days after the state Auditor’s Office announced that for the fiscal year that ended June 30, its Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) has identified $11,952,288 in public assistance fraud, the largest amount of this was found within the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), totaling $4.1 million. Next highest was MassHealth with investigators identifying $1.3 million worth of fraud.

The fraud bust also follows another one announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in December, when two Haitian nationals were arrested for allegedly carrying out a $7 million SNAP fraud scheme.

A peak inside of El Primo Restaurant in Leominster is permanently closed following the arrest of its owner and three others in an alleged $1 million SNAP fraud scheme (Tim Dunn/Boston Herald).