CHICAGO - The owner of a Chicago grocery store has been sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for defrauding government nutrition program s of more than $8 million.

What we know:

Yousef Abu Alhawa, 50, admitted to illegally redeeming Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits between 2011 and 2019, often for ineligible items or cash.

Prosecutors said he also redeemed benefits on behalf of stores that were not allowed to participate in the programs.

Alhawa pleaded guilty last year to wire fraud and tax charges, admitting he filed false tax returns that caused more than $610,000 in losses to federal and state agencies.

On Aug. 20, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger ord

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