Philly Store Owner Sentenced For Food Stamp Fraud

A Montgomery County man who owned an operated a grocery store in Philadelphia was sentenced to prison time after being convicted of defrauding the federal food stamp program, Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen said.

Young Hwa Jung, 57, of North Wales, was sentenced to 15 months in prison, Lappen said.

Jung was also sentenced to three years of supervised release to follow incarceration; full restitution of $607,017.17; a special assessment of $200, and was ordered forfeit a 2013 Toyota Tundra Jung bought with the fraudulent funds, Lappens office

Jung was charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of trafficking in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, benefits.

Jung owned and operated Jung & Hong Inc, a retail grocery store located at 2501 S. 70th Street in Philadelphia, Lappen's office said.

Jung admitted at a plea hearing in December that he trafficked SNAP benefits by buying those benefits from his customers in exchange for cash, which is illegal, according to Lappen's office.

Between January 2011 and May 2016, Jung caused a loss of roughly $607,017.17 to USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, which runs SNAP.

The case was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Crawley.

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