A Lake Worth couple has been charged with running a fencing operation that authorities say bought and resold more than $1.1 million worth of baby formula stolen from Florida retailers, including stores in Miami-Dade County.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office announced the charges Thursday morning at a news conference in West Palm Beach. Investigators say the case is not about isolated shoplifting but a coordinated supply chain: hired shoplifters clearing shelves, a warehouse for storage, and a resale channel that turned stolen cans into cash.
For families in Miami-Dade, the practical connection is on the shelf. Formula is one of the most locked-up, most limited-supply items in local pharmacies and supermarkets, and authorities say organized theft is a reason why.
What Happened
According to the Attorney General's Office and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office:
- Who was charged: Mohammed Alsaidi, 59, and Zeina Abdul-Hassan Sou Zabib, 49, both of Lake Worth.
- The charges: One count each of conspiracy to commit racketeering and two counts each of director of dealing in stolen property. All are first-degree felonies. Authorities say each defendant faces up to 90 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
- The alleged role: Investigators describe the pair as "fences" buyers who purchased stolen goods and resold them, rather than people who took items from shelves themselves.
- The alleged pricing: Professional shoplifters, referred to by investigators as "boosters," allegedly sold cans to the couple for about $10 each, roughly one-fifth of retail price.
- Scale: Investigators tied the enterprise to more than 150 separate baby formula thefts across Florida between 2024 and 2026, and identified about $1.1 million in formula sales revenue between November 2024 and June 2025.
- Retailers named: Publix, Target, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS and Winn-Dixie.
The 15-month investigation was named "Formula One." Nine other people connected to the alleged ring had already been charged before this week's announcement, including Kenneth L. Jones Jr., accused of more than 50 formula thefts totaling over $70,000 in Palm Beach and Broward counties.
These are allegations contained in charging documents and described by law enforcement. Neither defendant has been convicted, and no defense response had been reported as of publication.
Where It Happened
The alleged operation itself was based north of Miami-Dade: a residence in Lake Worth in Palm Beach County, and a warehouse in Davie in Broward County. A Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office probable cause affidavit places the home on Denicola Lane.
The thefts, however, were spread across the state. Records from the Attorney General's Office indicate the offenses touched multiple judicial circuits, including the 11th Circuit, which covers Miami-Dade County. The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office was among the agencies that assisted the investigation, along with police in Davie and Coral Springs, the Martin and St. Lucie county sheriff's offices, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and retail loss-prevention teams.
A note on the numbers: accounts of how widely the case spread differ. One local broadcast report described the enterprise as reaching six judicial circuits; a summary attributed to the Attorney General's Office lists eight the 9th, 10th, 11th, 15th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th. Individual Miami-Dade store locations have not been publicly identified, and Miami Goes Local has not independently verified which specific stores in the county were hit.
What We Know So Far
Search warrants were executed September 1, and both defendants were arrested that day. Investigators say they recovered roughly 1,000 cans of formula from the Davie warehouse, with a retail value of about $38,000. A detective who led the investigation said the warehouse was not air-conditioned and also held about 1,300 cans of tuna and sardines in temperatures above 90 degrees.
A search of the Lake Worth home turned up formula, other retail merchandise, electronics and ledgers documenting formula purchases and sales, according to investigators. Detectives said surveillance, phone and iCloud records, financial documents and invoices connected the couple to the alleged scheme.
A judge set bond at $750,000 for each defendant, ordered that the source of any bond money be verified, and required GPS monitoring if either is released.
The case will be prosecuted in Palm Beach County by Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Monique Wilson and Special Counsel Chris Olowin.
Why It Matters for Miami
Formula is a category where theft has visible consumer consequences. Because it is expensive, non-perishable and easy to resell, it is a common organized-theft target — and retailers respond by locking cases, limiting quantities per customer, or reducing how much they keep on the floor.
That is the chain Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw pointed to when he said empty shelves create fear of a shortage and push families to search elsewhere or stock up when they find product, which further limits what is left for other families.
There is also a consumer-safety dimension specific to this case. Powdered formula has storage requirements, and investigators described product being held in an un-air-conditioned warehouse. Formula resold outside normal retail channels through informal online listings, flea markets or small independent shops with unusually cheap pricing carries no guarantee about how it was stored or whether it is within date.
What Happens Next
- Both defendants face proceedings in Palm Beach County; no trial date has been announced.
- Prosecutors have said the enterprise involved close to a dozen people. Whether additional charges follow has not been stated.
- Retail-theft cases in Florida now carry heavier exposure. HB 549, signed in 2024, allows repeat retail theft to be charged as a first-degree felony, with penalties up to 30 years per count. The Attorney General's Retail Theft Investigative Special Task Force was created to link cases that cross county lines the mechanism that authorities credit for connecting thefts here.
What Miami Residents Should Know
If you buy formula:
- Buy from established pharmacies, supermarkets or licensed retailers. Manufacturer and retailer guidance is consistent on this point: avoid formula sold through informal resale channels.
- Check the lot number and expiration date on the can, and inspect the seal and container for damage before use.
- Be cautious about pricing that is far below retail, and about sellers offering large quantities of a single brand.
- Keep receipts. If a product looks wrong, a retailer can trace the lot.
If you run a Miami business:
- Buying inventory from an unverified supplier at well under wholesale carries legal risk, not just business risk. The charges in this case center on dealing in stolen property, not on the theft itself.
- Retailers can report suspected organized theft to local police; the Attorney General's task force handles cases that span jurisdictions.
FAQ
Were Miami stores affected? The Attorney General's Office indicates the offenses reached the 11th Judicial Circuit, which is Miami-Dade County, and the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office assisted the investigation. Specific store locations in the county have not been released publicly.
Is there a baby formula shortage in Miami right now? No shortage has been declared. Authorities' concern in this case is that organized theft empties individual store shelves and prompts stockpiling, which can make product harder to find locally even when overall supply is normal.
Were the two people charged accused of stealing the formula themselves? No. Investigators allege they bought stolen formula from professional shoplifters at roughly $10 per can and resold it. The people accused of the actual thefts have been charged separately nine so far.
Could formula from this case still be in circulation? Investigators recovered about 1,000 cans during the September 1 searches, but authorities have not said whether all product from the alleged operation was accounted for. No recall or public health notice has been issued in connection with the case.
What is a "booster"? It is the term investigators use for a professional shoplifter who steals to order and sells to a middleman, rather than for personal use.
