Two Boston men have been arrested and charged in what federal prosecutors say was a scheme to fraudulently obtain nearly $7 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (known as SNAP) benefits through small neighborhood retail stores in Mattapan.

Antonio Bonheur, 74, of Mattapan, and Saul Alisme, 21, of Hyde Park, were each charged with one count of food stamp fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. Both defendants were arrested on Wednesday morning, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.

Prosecutors say that Bonheur and Alisme operated small variety stores that generated extraordinarily high SNAP redemption volumes that far exceeded what could reasonably be supported by legitimate food sales. Bonheur owned Jesula Variety Store, which occupied roughly 150 square feet, while Alisme owned Saul Mache Mixe Store, a larger 500-square-foot storefront. Both stores were located in the Mattapan section of Boston.

The defendants’ monthly SNAP redemptions reportedly ranged from $100,000 to as much as $500,000, rivaling and, in some cases, surpassing the redemptions of full-service supermarkets, prosecutors say. Federal officials noted that one nearby supermarket redeems approximately $82,000 per month in SNAP benefits, despite offering a far larger selection of food.

Investigators also cited transaction-level data that showed highly unusual spending patterns. Only about 10 percent of SNAP transactions at the stores were under $40, while more than 70 percent exceeded $95. Prosecutors say such transaction sizes are typical of large grocery stores and inconsistent with small variety stores that carry limited food inventory.

As part of the investigation, undercover agents conducted multiple visits to both businesses, according to prosecutors. During those operations, SNAP benefits were then exchanged for cash on four occasions at Jesula Variety Store and on two occasions at Saul Mache Mixe Store. In each instance, prosecutors say the defendants themselves were working the registers and personally conducted the transactions. Authorities also say that both stores sold liquor in exchange for SNAP benefits, which is banned under federal law.

Both stores also reportedly sold MannaPack meals, a donated food product produced by the nonprofit Feed My Starving Children. The meals are funded entirely through charitable donations and are intended for distribution to hungry children overseas. Prosecutors say the meals are never authorized for retail sale. However, the defendants are said to have sold them in their stores for approximately $8 per package.

Federal officials say that because the stores carried little legitimate food inventory and generated minimal lawful revenue, the defendants relied almost entirely on SNAP redemptions funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as their primary source of income. To conceal the origin of those funds, prosecutors say, the defendants maintained multiple secondary bank accounts, moving SNAP proceeds between accounts, withdrawing cash, and redepositing funds to make the businesses appear legitimate.

If the defendants are convicted, the charge of food stamp fraud involving more than $100 carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing would be determined by a federal judge under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

Lawyers for Bonheur and Alisme could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday afternoon.