A man in Ohio was arrested for accepting welfare benefits even though he is a millionaire, has a Swiss bank account and lives in a house worth $800,000. James R. Flaiz, Geauga County prosecutor, said:
“It’s outrageous to see a situation where somebody is living in a house almost worth a million dollars, a horse barn, driving luxury cars, have millions of dollars in overseas bank accounts and here they are accepting this type of assistance.”
Police raided the luxurious home of Ali Pascal Mahvi, which included horse stables, a four car garage complete with a BMW and a Lexus. The Mahvis claimed no income when they applied for benefits, despite the fact they pay a mortgage of $4600 a month, $567 for cell phones, $200 in restaurant bills and $350 for their cable bill. They have a Swiss bank account with 4.2 million dollars in it, which he claims actually belongs to his father. He is pleading innocent of all charges.
From The Daily Caller:
Investigators say they deposit large amounts of cash in small increments. The Mahvis deposited at least $30,000 this year in six separate transactions, each under $10,000, investigators said.
The family deposited $4,000 Feb. 4 at 2:55 p.m., then, two minutes later, they deposited $6,000 in the same bank account. Several similar transactions were made in April and May, again minutes apart, the investigators said. Banks are required to notify the IRS of transactions of more than $10,000 under the Bank Secrecy Act.
Mahvi said he is “not a wealthy man,” and he is eligible for welfare aid despite the value of his home and possessions, according to WKYC.
“The allegations are not true,” he said. “I’m not guilty.”
Mahvi said his home and other assets do not disqualify him from using food stamps. “It was our right to apply [for food stamps] and I applied,” he said. “If you don’t like the [food stamp] system, change it.”
Pascal Mahvi is the author of a “Deadly Secrets of Iranian Princes: Audacity to Act,” a memoir about his life as a descendant of Iranian royalty.