West Bloomfield man charged with operating retail crime ring involving energy drinks, Sam's Club stores

Elaborate crime ring netted $4M from food stamp cards

The Michigan Attorney General announced the arrest of at least three people and possibly more to come who were all part of elaborate food stamp fraud ring that topped out $4 million in 6 months at Metro Detroit Sam's Club stores.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A Metro Detroit man was arraigned in Wayne County Circuit Court on charges in connection with running a theft ring that included using stolen data to purchase energy drinks and reselling them.

The 54-year-old West Bloomfield man is the latest offender to be ensnared by the Michigan Attorney General's consumer protection team.

Big picture view:

Sean Allos is charged with one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, a 20-year felony, and eight counts of receiving and concealing stolen property over $1,000, a 5-year felony.

Arraigned in third circuit court on Monday, Allos allegedly operated a theft and resale ring that targeted Sam's Club stores around Southeast Michigan.

Allos is accused of using stolen private data from 8,000 residents, mostly from California, to purchase thousands of dollars' worth of energy drinks.

The data came from people who used electronic benefit transfer cards. The EBT cards were then used to purchase the products, which Allos is accused of reselling for a profit.

Dig deeper:

The Michigan AG's organized retail crime unit began its investigation into an alleged food stamp fraud operation in the beginning of 2023.

In May of the same year, the attorney general announced three suspects had been charged with the theft of more than $4 million in purchases from stores around the region.

They used stolen EBT card data from California, Washington, and Michigan to purchase products at several Detroit-area Sam's Club locations.

In the case of Allos, he was ordered to stand trial after being charged in district court in April.