Ohio ‘Food Stamp Millionaire’ Found Guilty of Food Stamp, Medicaid Fraud

An Ohio millionaire has been found guilty of welfare fraud in court Friday after he fraudulently collected food stamps and Medicaid benefits.

WKYC reports that a judge convicted Pascal Mahvi, also known as the “Food Stamp Millionaire,” of one fifth-degree felony for fraudulently claiming more than $8,300 worth of food stamps and one misdemeanor charge of fraud for falsifying his application for Medicaid benefits over two years before his arrest.

Mahvi and his attorney declined to comment on the case following Friday’s decision. A judge is expected to sentence Mahvi in four to six weeks.

Prosecutor James Flaiz said he is going to recommend to the judge that Mahvi serves jail time.

“We’re absolutely going to recommend time behind bars,” Flaiz said. “I think people have to understand, if you abuse the system that taxpayers have set up to help the poor, and you defraud that system, there needs to be consequences.”

Prosecutors say Mavhi, 66, faces a maximum sentence of up to 18 months behind bars and could be ordered to pay restitution for any benefits he received.

Mahvi earned his nickname as the “Food Stamp Millionaire” when investigators discovered he had collected welfare benefits despite having millions of dollars in the bank.

Investigators raided his 8,000 square foot home with multiple garages containing sports cars and an in-ground swimming pool for evidence that he committed welfare fraud.