Pittsburgh business owners charged in $178K EBT card scheme
STARTS NOW WITH BREAKING NEWS. WE ARE FOLLOWING SEVERAL BREAKING STORIES FOR YOU RIGHT NOW. THANKS SO MUCH FOR TUNING IN WITH US HERE AT PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR AT 4:00. I’M KELLY SASSO AND GOOD AFTERNOON, I’M ANDREW STOCKEY. WE’RE COVERING BOTH LOCAL AND NATIONAL HEADLINES, TOPPING YOUR TOP FOUR STORIES AT 4:00. OKAY. WE’RE GOING TO START HERE WITH THE PITTSBURGH INSTITUTION ANNOUNCING IT IS CEASING OPERATIONS. THE PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE ANNOUNCED IT IS SHUTTING DOWN IN MAY. JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, THE OWNERS ALSO ANNOUNCED THEY WERE CLOSING THE CITY PAPER POST GAZETTE WORKERS HAD BEEN ON STRIKE FOR YEARS. IT WAS JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO. A JUDGE ORDERED THEM BACK TO WORK WITH YEARS OF BACK PAY, BREAKING NEWS IN MINNEAPOLIS, A WOMAN HAS BEEN SHOT AND KILLED BY AN ICE AGENT. HOMELAND SECURITY OFFICIALS SAY THE WOMAN TRIED RUNNING DOWN AN ICE OFFICER WITH HER VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE CITY’S MAYOR AND POLICE CHIEF SAY THE 37 YEAR OLD WOMAN WAS DRIVING AWAY WHEN AN AGENT SHOT HER. MORE ON THAT. PLUS, THE SEARCH IS ON RIGHT NOW FOR AN ASSAULT SUSPECT OUT OF LATROBE. POLICE SAY THEY ALMOST GOT SHAWN PRINCE INTO CUSTODY LAST NIGHT. HE IS WANTED ON SIMPLE ASSAULT AND HARASSMENT CHARGES OUT OF ROSTRAVER TOWNSHIP. THE BOROUGH OF MILLVALE MAY BE FORCED TO SHUT DOWN. SERVICES OFFICIALS HAVE FILED A PETITION ASKING TO BORROW $2 MILLION. THEY SAY A RECENT PROPERTY TAX HIKE WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO COVER DEBTS AND EXPENSES. AND THOSE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES. AT 4:00. A LOT GOING ON, BUT LET’S CHECK IN RIGHT NOW AND GIVE YOU A FIRST LOOK AT PITTSBURGH’S ACTION WEATHER, AT LEAST FOR THE SHORT TERM. RIGHT NOW IN THE WEATHER, THERE’S NOT A WHOLE LOT GOING ON, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS. BRIAN HUTTON, JUNIOR HERE WITH THE FORECAST. NOT UNTIL FRIDAY. WE REALLY HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. YEAH, JUST THE CLOUDS TODAY. THOSE RAIN SHOWERS EXITED AND WE’LL SEE SUNSHINE RETURNING TOMORROW. THAT HELPS TO WARM TEMPERATURES UP EVEN MORE. SO OUR WARMING TREND CONTINUES. WE’LL MAKE IT TO 60 DEGREES BY THE TIME WE GET TO YOUR FRIDAY. AND THEN FRIDAY IS AN IMPACT DAY AS RAIN SHOWERS WILL RETURN TO WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. SHOWERS WILL GET HERE AS EARLY AS THE MORNING COMMUTE. WE’LL SEE PERIODS OF RAIN THROUGH THE DAY. IT’S NOT A FULL WASHOUT, BUT RAIN SHOWERS WILL BE AROUND. YOU’LL NEED THE UMBRELLA AS YOU MAKE PLANS FOR YOUR FRIDAY, AND WE WILL COOL BACK DOWN, BUT STAY DRY FOR YOUR STEELERS MONDAY AS TEMPERATURES WILL LOOK TO BE IN THE 30S AS WE GET THE KICKOFF AND CONTINUE COOLING AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE FOURTH QUARTER. BUT WE WILL BE DRY. SO AGAIN, NO MAJOR WEATHER CONCERNS FOR YOUR WILD CARD GAME MONDAY. TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE 40S FOR THE MOST PART. THE ONLY EXCEPTION ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. FRANKLIN’S AT 38, MONROEVILLE IS AT 45, ALONG WITH WASHINGTON. SO AGAIN, WE’RE BACK TO THE 50S TOMORROW, 60S FRIDAY WITH OUR IMPACT DAY. THOSE SHOWERS LINGER SATURDAY AND THEN BACK TO JANUARY AS WE HEAD INTO SUNDAY. SO A LITTLE TASTE OF SPRING. YES. VERY BRIEF, BUT WE’LL TAKE IT SHORT BUT MEANINGFUL. THIS IS TRUE. ALL RIGHT, BRIAN, THANKS SO MUCH. WE’LL SEE YOU HERE IN JUST A LITTLE BIT. FOR NOW, WE WANT TO GET BACK TO OUR BREAKING NEWS. IT HAS SERVED THE CITY SINCE THE INFANCY OF OUR NATION. JUST A SHORT TIME AGO, THOUGH, THE OWNERS OF THE PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE SAID THE PAPER IS SHUTTING DOWN FOR GOOD. LET’S GET STRAIGHT OUT TO PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER MARCIE CIPRIANI LIVE OUTSIDE THE PAPER’S NORTH SHORE HEADQUARTERS. AND, MARCY, TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU THIS AFTERNOON. FIRST, WHAT PROMPTED TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT? AND SECOND, WHEN WILL THE FINAL EDITION BE PUBLISHED? WELL, ANDREW, I WILL ANSWER THAT SECOND QUESTION FIRST. THE POST GAZETTE IS SET TO HAVE ITS FINAL PAPER PUBLISHED ON MAY 3RD. NOW, THAT IS A SUNDAY. THAT’S ONE OF TWO DAYS THAT THE POST GAZETTE HERE STILL PRINTS PHYSICAL COPIES. NOW, AS FOR WHY THE PAPER’S OWNERS BLOCKED COMMUNICATION SITE FINANCIAL LOSSES AND POINT TO THE JOURNALISTS STRIKE THAT RECENTLY ENDED. IN A STATEMENT, BLOCK COMMUNICATION WRITES IN PART, QUOTE, RECENT COURT DECISIONS WOULD REQUIRE THE POST-GAZETTE TO OPERATE UNDER A 2014 LABOR CONTRACT THAT IMPOSES ON THE POST-GAZETTE OUTDATED AND INFLEXIBLE OPERATIONAL PRACTICES UNSUITED FOR TODAY’S LOCAL JOURNALISM. A COURT RECENTLY RULED IN THE NEWSPAPER GUILD OF PITTSBURGH’S FAVOR, RESTORING THE TERMS OF THEIR 2014 TO 2017 CONTRACT. THE COURT ALSO ORDERED YEARS OF BACK PAY TO THE STRIKING WORKERS. AT LAST CHECK, THEY WERE STILL BARGAINING FOR A NEW AGREEMENT THAT STRIKE WAY BACK IN 2022. BLOCK COMMUNICATION SAYS IT LOST 350 MILLION IN CASH, OPERATING THE PGE OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS. THE OWNERS SAY IT’S PROUD OF THE SERVICE IT’S BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE TO THE PITTSBURGH AREA. THE NEWSPAPER GUILD OF PITTSBURGH WROTE IN A STATEMENT. QUOTE, INSTEAD OF SIMPLY FOLLOWING THE LAW, THE OWNERS CHOSE TO PUNISH LOCAL JOURNALISTS AND THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH. I JUST SPOKE WITH ANDREW CONTI, THE MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR THE CENTER OF MEDIA INNOVATION AT POINT PARK AND A JOURNALIST IN THE PITTSBURGH AREA FOR DECADE ABOUT THE PG’S ANNOUNCED CLOSURE. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO LOSE THE POST-GAZETTE FOR A LONG TIME, BUT WHEN IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED TODAY, IT FELT LIKE A GUT PUNCH. I MEAN, WE JUST LEARNED ON NEW YEAR’S EVE THAT CITY PAPER WAS CLOSING, AND THAT FELT LIKE A GUT PUNCH. THEN THIS FEELS LIKE A SEISMIC CHANGE. NEW AT FIVE, CONTI ADDRESSES NOT ONLY THE IMPACT ON LOCAL JOURNALISTS, BUT ON THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY FROM THE NORTH SHORE. MARCIE CIPRIANI PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. OKAY, MARCI. THANK YOU. NOW WE WANT TO TURN TO OUR OTHER BREAKING NEWS COMING OUT OF MINNESOTA. AN ICE OFFICER SHOT AND KILLED A WOMAN TODAY. YOU JUST HEARD GOVERNOR TIM WALZ SPEAK ON THAT SHOOTING IN AN ABC NEWS SPECIAL REPORT, HOMELAND SECURITY SAYS THE WOMAN USED HER VEHICLE AS A WEAPON, BUT BOTH THE MAYOR AND THE POLICE CHIEF ARE DISAGREEING WITH THAT ACCOUNT. THE MAYOR IS SENDING A VERY STRONG STATEMENT. JUST A SHORT TIME AGO TO ICE GET OUT OF MINNEAPOLIS, WE DO NOT WANT YOU HERE. TENSIONS HAVE BEEN VERY HIGH IN MINNEAPOLIS SINCE THE FEDERAL CRACKDOWN BEGAN IN THAT CITY. ABC’S REENA ROY NOW BRINGS US UP TO SPEED TO ICE. GET THE OUT OF MINNEAPOLIS. A BLUNT MESSAGE TO ICE FROM MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR JACOB FREY AFTER AUTHORITIES SAY FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENTS SHOT AND KILLED A WOMAN THIS AFTERNOON DURING WHAT THEY SAY WERE TARGETED OPERATIONS. THEY ARE ALREADY TRYING TO SPIN THIS AS AN ACT OF SELF-DEFENSE. HAVING SEEN THE VIDEO OF MYSELF, I WANT TO TELL EVERYBODY DIRECTLY THAT IS BULL. THIS WAS AN AGENT RECKLESSLY USING POWER THAT RESULTED IN SOMEBODY DYING. DISTURBING VIDEO SHOWS THE MOMENTS AFTER THE SHOOTING. YOU CAN SEE PARAMEDICS RUNNING TO THE CAR. THIS IMAGE SHOWS A BULLET HOLE IN THE WINDSHIELD. THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAYING THE 37 YEAR OLD WHO WAS KILLED WAS BLOCKING THE ROADWAY AND, QUOTE, WEAPONIZED HER VEHICLE AS OFFICERS WERE TRYING TO GET THEIR CAR OUT OF THE SNOW, THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO PUSH OUT THEIR VEHICLE AND A WOMAN ATTACKED THEM AND THOSE SURROUNDING THEM AND ATTEMPTED TO RUN THEM OVER AND RAM THEM. LOCAL POLICE SAYING THIS, A FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER APPROACHED HER ON FOOT AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIVE OFF. AT LEAST TWO SHOTS WERE FIRED, FEDERAL AUTHORITIES ARGUING THE ICE OFFICER FEARED FOR HIS LIFE AND FIRED DEFENSIVE SHOTS. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MOVE AND I COULD SEE WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT OFFICER YELLING THROUGH THE WINDOW AT THE DRIVER OF THE CAR, AND THEN I SAW THE OFFICER REACH HIS HAND, HOLDING A GUN INTO THE THROUGH THE DRIVER’S SIDE WINDOW, AND MULTIPLE SHOTS WERE FIRED. VIDEO SHOWS PROTESTERS CLASHING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, THROWING SNOWBALLS AT VEHICLES. TEAR GAS DEPLOYED INTO THE CROWD. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAYS 2000 AGENTS HAD RECENTLY BEEN DEPLOYED TO MINNEAPOLIS. AS WE JUST HEARD, THE MAYOR NOW DEMANDING THEY LEAVE THE CITY, SAYING THEY ARE ONLY CAUSING CHAOS. REENA ROY, ABC NEWS, NEW YORK. NOW BACK HERE, A BE ON THE LOOKOUT ALERT WAS SENT OUT LAST NIGHT FOR THIS MAN, SHAWN PRINCE, NEARLY TAKEN INTO CUSTODY LAST NIGHT IN LATROBE, BUT HE GOT AWAY. ROSTRAVER TOWNSHIP POLICE WANT HIM FOR SIMPLE ASSAULT AND HARASSMENT CHARGES. NOW, PRINCE’S CRIMINAL HISTORY IS EXTENSIVE. IT EVEN INCLUDES AN ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN A KIDNAPING CASE OUT OF SCOTTSDALE BACK IN OCTOBER. WESTMORELAND BUREAU REPORTER ED DIORIO IS JOINING US NOW LIVE WITH THE LATEST ON THIS SEARCH. ED. YEAH, KELLY, LET’S JUST START WITH THE FACT THAT SHAWN PRINCE HAS 29 CRIMINAL DOCKETS JUST IN PENNSYLVANIA DATING BACK TO 2016. AND THAT’S WHY WHEN LATROBE POLICE GOT A TIP THAT A MAN MATCHING THE DESCRIPTION OF SHAWN PRINCE WAS POTENTIALLY IN THE CITY AT THE TIME, THAT’S WHY LATROBE, DERRY BOROUGH AND STATE POLICE RESPONDED TO THE CITY LAST NIGHT. BUT ULTIMATELY, IF PRINCE WAS IN THE AREA, HE GOT AWAY. AS I MENTIONED, SEVERAL AGENCIES WERE A PART OF THE SEARCH LAST NIGHT. IN ONE PART OF TOWN SPECIFICALLY, IT WAS ON SPRING STREET AND CLOSE TO CHRIST THE DIVINE SCHOOL NEAR CHESTNUT STREET AS WELL, AND RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA WHO SPOKE TO POLICE TOLD ME TODAY THAT THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE MAN COULD BE ARMED AND DANGEROUS. PRINCE WAS NOT TAKEN INTO CUSTODY, AS I MENTIONED, AND THE SEARCH FOR HIM CONTINUES TODAY, NOT JUST HERE IN LATROBE, BUT ACROSS OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY AS WELL. WE’RE JUST LIKE SORT OF HUNKERED DOWN, HOPING THAT THEY CATCH HIM. AND THEN THIS MORNING I WOKE UP AND THEY STILL HASN’T BEEN CAUGHT. I’M GUESSING HE’S PROBABLY NOT IN THIS AREA ANYMORE, BUT YEAH, IT’S STILL, YOU KNOW, FRIGHTENING. IT’S STILL SCARY. SO, ED, YOU MENTIONED HERE PRINCE’S CRIMINAL HISTORY AND HIS INVOLVEMENT IN A CASE WHERE A SCOTTDALE WOMAN WAS KIDNAPED. DID POLICE SAY HOW THEY THINK HE WAS INVOLVED IN THAT? WELL, KELLY, CAST YOUR MIND BACK TO OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR. A WOMAN FROM SCOTTDALE WAS KIDNAPED, FOUND HER WAY BACK TO THE BOROUGH, WENT MISSING FOR DAYS AFTER THAT, AND THEN EVENTUALLY WAS FOUND IN KENTUCKY WITH HER HUSBAND, WHO POLICE BELIEVE KIDNAPED HER IN THE FIRST PLACE. POLICE BELIEVE THE MAN IN THAT CASE IS SHAWN PRINCE, AND PRINCE WAS ARRESTED IN KENTUCKY BY OFFICERS THERE IN OCTOBER, BUT HE POSTED BAIL FOR THAT CASE IN DECEMBER. SO THAT EXPLAINS WHY HE IS THERE IS A SEARCH OUT FOR HIM AGAIN. OUT OF LAST NIGHT. WE’LL HAVE MORE ABOUT HIS CRIMINAL HISTORY AND THE LATEST ON THAT. SEARCH FOR HIM IN THE FULL REPORT COMING UP AT 5:00, COVERING WESTMORELAND COUNTY IN THE CITY OF LATROBE. ED DIORIO, PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. OKAY. THANK YOU. NOW WE WANT TO BRING YOU A LIVE LOOK AT I-79. THE NORTHBOUND LANES NEAR CANONSBURG IN WASHINGTON COUNTY ARE BACK OPEN, BUT THEY WERE SHUT DOWN FOR HOURS TODAY FROM A ROCKSLIDE. IT BLOCKED THE LANES, BRINGING THE MORNING COMMUTE TO A STANDSTILL. NOW, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS SKY 4. PITTSBURGH’S ONLY NEWS CHOPPER IS SHOWING US AND GIVING US THIS VANTAGE POINT OF THE STRETCH THAT WAS AFFECTED WHEN THEY ARRIVED. MOST OF THAT DEBRIS WAS MOVED AND THE ROAD REOPENED. STATE POLICE SAY TWO SUVS WERE DAMAGED BY THAT DEBRIS. ENGINEERS HAD TO EVACUATE THE HILLSIDE TO ENSURE IT WAS SAFE TO REOPEN. AND THE GOOD NEWS HERE NO ONE WAS HURT. ABSOLUTELY. ALL RIGHT. WE WANT TO GO NOW TO THE MONEY ISSUES PLAGUING A LOCAL BOROUGH. THAT’S RIGHT. THE BOROUGH OF MILLVILLE SAYS IT NEEDS TO BORROW MONEY TO HELP PAY ITS DEBTS. OR IT MAY HAVE TO SHUT DOWN. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER CARLOS FLORES IS COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY TONIGHT. HE’S LIVE IN MILLVILLE WITH HOW THE BOROUGH IS LOOKING TO KEEP SERVICES RUNNING. CARLOS. WELL, ANDREW KELLY, THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF POTENTIAL SCENARIOS. THE BOROUGH OF MILLVILLE IS FACING. AND LIKE YOU MENTIONED JUST A SECOND AGO, POTENTIALLY SHUTTING DOWN GOVERNMENT SERVICES IS ON THE TABLE. IF THEY CAN’T GET THAT $2 MILLION LOAN APPROVED. ACCORDING TO A PETITION SUBMITTED TO THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY COMMON PLEAS COURT, THIS $2 MILLION LOAN WILL ALLOW THEM TO COVER THEIR DEBTS, CURRENT PROJECTS AND ANY UNEXPECTED EXPENSES. BUT IF YOU REMEMBER, JUST LAST MONTH, THE BOROUGH INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES BY 58%. BUT ACCORDING TO THEM IN THAT PETITION, THEY SAY THAT THAT INCREASE STILL WON’T ALLOW THEM TO COVER THOSE THINGS I JUST MENTIONED. NOW, WITH THE POTENTIAL OF FIRE, POLICE AND EMS SERVICES ALL BEING AFFECTED, POTENTIALLY AFFECTED, OTHER PEOPLE HERE IN THE BOROUGH WANT ANSWERS. BUT IF YOU WANT TO BE YOUR OWN BOROUGH, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT BEING YOUR OWN BOROUGH. I DON’T WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS CITY. PERSONALLY, I LOVE BEING IN A SMALL BOROUGH, BUT THAT ALSO MEANS THAT IF YOU WANT TO HAVE THE BENEFITS OF BEING A SMALL BOROUGH IN A SMALL GOVERNMENT, YOU NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE GOING ON WITHIN YOUR JURISDICTION. CARLOS, HOW SOON WILL BOROUGH KNOW IF THEY WILL GET THAT $2 MILLION LOAN? WELL, UNFORTUNATELY IT WON’T BE TOMORROW. IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE A WEEK FROM TOMORROW. NEXT THURSDAY, THEY’LL HAVE THAT HEARING FOR THAT PETITION AT THE CITY COUNTY BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN AND COMING UP IN PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR AT FIVE. WE’LL HEAR MORE FROM PEOPLE HERE IN MILLVILLE BOROUGH ON WHAT THEY’RE HOPING FOR AS THE SITUATION CONTINUES TO UNFOLD. BUT FOR NOW, COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY RIGHT HERE IN MILLVILLE
Pittsburgh business owners charged in $178K EBT card scheme
Updated: 4:30 PM EST Jan 7, 2026
Two Pittsburgh business owners are facing charges after the state attorney general said they stole food benefits and profited from them over four years through the use of EBT cards. VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Jan. 7, 2026 According to a release obtained by Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Wednesday, the AG alleges Rachna Anwar, 46, and Munir Chaudhri, 62, bought over 450 discounted EBT cards from people who received the benefits. They then used the cards more than 800 times to buy more than $178,000 worth of food from Sam’s Club, Giant Eagle, and other local retailers for their businesses, Lillen’s Restaurant and Isaly’s on East Ohio Street on the city’s North Side, the AG said.The AG said items purchased included meat, water, soda, and other drinks. Both are facing multiple charges, including criminal conspiracy and dealing in the proceeds of illegal activity. Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
PITTSBURGH —
Two Pittsburgh business owners are facing charges after the state attorney general said they stole food benefits and profited from them over four years through the use of EBT cards.
VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Jan. 7, 2026
According to a release obtained by Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Wednesday, the AG alleges Rachna Anwar, 46, and Munir Chaudhri, 62, bought over 450 discounted EBT cards from people who received the benefits.
They then used the cards more than 800 times to buy more than $178,000 worth of food from Sam’s Club, Giant Eagle, and other local retailers for their businesses, Lillen’s Restaurant and Isaly’s on East Ohio Street on the city’s North Side, the AG said.
The AG said items purchased included meat, water, soda, and other drinks.
Both are facing multiple charges, including criminal conspiracy and dealing in the proceeds of illegal activity.
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