Russell Township, Ohio (WKYC) — Ali Pascal Mahvi lives in an 8,000 square foot mansion in Russell Township with horses, in-ground swimming pool, and sports cars. He is said to be worth about $120 million.
But Mahvi says he’s been living off food stamps, Medicaid, and welfare for the last two years.
Last week, federal agents raided Mahvi’s mansion investigating potential theft and fraud charges. They say Mahvi allegedly had millions of dollars in the bank while he was receiving help.
But Mahvi says his application and eligibility for aid were all legal, and before the aid, he had been living off loans provided by friends.
“If you have the ability to borrow $10 million, why are you on food stamps?” said Mahvi. “The system is that loans are not income, pursuant to federal law.”
A federal agent said, “The system is inefficient, and the system is not set up to truly protect Ohio taxpayer dollars.”
Prosecuter Jim Flaiz said, “A number of people who feel that if they can scam something from the government, they’re going to.”
Mahvi has not been charged in the probe, but prosecutors say the investigation is still ongoing. Prosecutors said the raid is expected to be followed up by a grand jury hearing and potential indictment
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