2 Charged in Alleged $1 Million Baby Formula Theft Ring in Florida
Baby formula is expensive enough when you're buying it the traditional way.
Yet, Florida authorities say two people found a considerably less legal route, allegedly running a statewide operation that bought stolen baby formula for a fraction of its retail price and resold it for more than $1 million.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced charges against Mohammed Alsaidi, 59, and Zeina Abdul-Hassan Sou Zabib, 49, both from Lake Worth.
Authorities say the alleged Florida baby formula theft ring was connected to more than 150 thefts across the state.
2 Charged in $1M Florida Baby Formula Theft Ring
The Mohammed Alsaidi and Sou Zabib charges come after investigators spent 15 months looking into the alleged operation.
According to the Attorney General's Office, authorities say the couple used two locations for the operation: their Lake Worth residence and a warehouse in Davie.
The formula allegedly came from professional shoplifters, commonly called boosters, who sold stolen cans to Alsaidi and Sou Zabib for approximately $10 each.
At about 20% of the typical retail price, there was plenty of room for resale profit.
Authorities say the couple then moved the stolen formula through their operation and resold it.
Between November 2024 and June 2025 alone, investigators traced more than $1.1 million in formula sales to the alleged scheme.
Both face three first-degree felony charges: one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering and two counts involving the alleged direction of dealing in stolen property.
According to court records, both defendants have pleaded not guilty and were given $750,000 bonds.
The Formula Was Allegedly Stolen From Major Retailers
The alleged Publix, Target, and Walmart formula theft wasn't limited to those three chains.
Investigators say the baby formula boosters in Florida also stole products from Walgreens, CVS, and Winn-Dixie.
Altogether, authorities have connected more than 150 thefts to the alleged operation between 2024 and 2026.
Retailers have reported losses reaching into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
A search of the couple’s Lake Worth home also turned up formula and other retail products, along with electronics and records that investigators say tracked formula purchases and sales.
And Alsaidi and Sou Zabib aren't the only people facing charges.
Authorities have charged nine alleged boosters accused of supplying the operation.
Among them is Kenneth Jones Jr., who investigators previously linked to more than 50 formula thefts worth over $70,000.
Theft Charges Could Mean Decades in Prison
These baby formula theft charges in Florida could carry huge sentences.
Alsaidi and Sou Zabib could each receive as many as 90 years in state prison if they're convicted on all charges.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw also pointed out another consequence of large-scale formula theft.
When stores suddenly have empty shelves, parents can worry about shortages and buy more formula when they find it, making supplies even harder for other families to find.
Florida's Office of Statewide Prosecution will handle the case in Palm Beach County.
For now, though, the charges remain allegations, and both defendants have pleaded not guilty.
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