A Florida couple is accused of sitting at the center of a massive baby formula theft operation that investigators say stretched across the state, involved more than 150 reported thefts and generated more than $1.1 million in sales.
Mohammed Alsaidi, 59, and Zeina Abdul-Hassan Sou Zabib, 49, both from Lake Worth, were arrested following a 15-month investigation dubbed “Formula One.” Authorities say the couple allegedly operated a fencing operation out of their Lake Worth home and a warehouse in Davie, where stolen baby formula was collected, stored and eventually resold for profit.
According to investigators, the alleged operation relied on professional shoplifters known as “boosters.” Those boosters allegedly targeted major retailers including Publix, Target, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS and Winn-Dixie, stealing baby formula and then selling it to Alsaidi and Zabib at a steep discount.
Authorities say the alleged boosters were paid approximately $10 per can for the stolen formula — roughly one-fifth of what the products could sell for at retail. The couple allegedly turned around and resold the formula, creating a major profit from merchandise investigators say had been stolen from stores across Florida.
The investigation reportedly linked the operation to more than 150 baby formula thefts between 2024 and 2026. Officials say the alleged crimes stretched across multiple Florida judicial circuits, making the case much larger than an isolated shoplifting operation.
Investigators also say the operation generated more than $1.1 million in sales between November 2024 and June 2025.
During the investigation, authorities searched locations connected to the couple and reportedly discovered baby formula along with other retail merchandise, electronics and ledgers documenting purchases and sales. Investigators say the records helped connect the defendants to the alleged resale operation.
In a separate search of a warehouse connected to the investigation, authorities reportedly recovered approximately 1,000 cans of baby formula with a retail value of around $38,000. Officials said the formula was being prepared for distribution.
The investigation has also resulted in charges against nine alleged boosters accused of supplying the operation. One of those suspects, Kenneth Jones Jr., has been accused of being involved in more than 50 baby formula thefts totaling more than $70,000, according to authorities.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier blasted the alleged operation, emphasizing the impact stolen formula can have on families who depend on the product to feed their children.
Authorities say organized theft of baby formula can create empty shelves, force parents to search multiple stores for supplies and contribute to increased security costs for retailers.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw also warned that the consequences go beyond the stores where the formula was allegedly stolen. When parents cannot find formula, officials say it can create fear of shortages and cause families to purchase or stock up on whatever they can find.
Alsaidi and Zabib are each facing one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering and two counts of directing the dealing in stolen property. All of the charges are first-degree felonies. If convicted on the charges, authorities say each could face up to 90 years in prison.
The case is being prosecuted in Palm Beach County by the Office of Statewide Prosecution.
Authorities stress that the allegations are criminal charges and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
But investigators say the case exposes just how large organized retail theft operations can become — with alleged thieves targeting everyday necessities, middlemen buying the stolen merchandise and resale operations turning those thefts into a multimillion-dollar business.
For Florida parents who rely on baby formula, investigators say the alleged scheme wasn’t simply about stolen merchandise. It was about taking a product families desperately need and turning it into the centerpiece of an alleged criminal enterprise.
Video Credit: WPLG Local 10
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