Cleveland home goods retailer caught trafficking SNAP benefits

A Cleveland business owner has been sentenced to prison for trafficking in SNAP benefits, the latest in a string of Ohio cases that highlight how fraud is draining resources meant for families in need.

Rup Chhetri, 33, owner of Sagarmatha Home Décor in Cleveland, was convicted in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court on charges of illegal use of SNAP benefits, money laundering, and theft. Chhertri, an immigrant from Nepal, came under a months-long investigation for trafficking the benefits through his storefront.

During the investigation, agents from the Ohio Investigative Unit conducted an undercover sting, selling Chhetri more than $17,000 in SNAP benefits for just $7,300. Chhetri then used the full value of the EBT funds to buy personal items and stock his business.

While it’s a felony offense to sell or trade SNAP benefits for cash, fraud is on the rise, draining resources for those in need.

“The illegal exchange of SNAP benefits for cash undermines the program designed to provide assistance to those in need,” said OIU Senior Enforcement Commander Greg Croft. “Instead, it diverts resources away from families who need them.”

On April 8, 2026, Chhetri was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to forfeit more than $63,000 seized during the investigation. Those funds will be paid as restitution to the Cuyahoga County Department of Jobs and Family Services. Following the conviction, he also faces permanent disqualification from the SNAP program.

This retailer trafficking case, investigated with help from the U.S. Secret Service Money Laundering Task Force and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, fits a pattern of SNAP-related fraud across Ohio.

Just months earlier, in May 2025, a nearly year-long OIU probe led to indictments of three Columbus-area residents — Ionut Bizga, 33, Doina Bacelan, 32, and Juan Hernandez, 26 — for a card-skimming scheme that stole at least $600,000 in benefits.

Court records show Bizga and Bacelan required a Romanian interpreter during proceedings. Bizga was also subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer.

The suspects allegedly used skimmers on EBT cards, made massive purchases of candy and energy drinks at Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale — often over $3,000 per visit — stored the goods, and resold them out of state. Authorities seized cash, gold, vehicles, cloned cards, and skimming devices.

The Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services has reported losing $17 million in SNAP benefits due to fraud and theft since the summer of 2023. Officials continue to urge EBT users to safeguard their cards and report suspicious activity promptly.