Two Romanian Nationals Indicted In Multistate SNAP Benefits Fraud Scheme While Residing Unlawfully In the United States

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two Romanian nationals residing unlawfully in the United States are facing federal charges for a multistate fraud scheme involving over $760,000 in stolen SNAP benefits funds, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Miles B. Davis, Special Agent in Charge, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA-OIG), Southeast Region, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.

Marian Ovidiu Dumitru, 38, and Catalin Dumitru, 36, both Romanian citizens residing unlawfully in various places throughout the United States, are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States; possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices; illegal possession of device-making equipment; two counts of wire fraud; and four counts of aggravated identity theft. Both defendants are currently detained pending trial.

“These individuals allegedly came to the United States illegally and preyed on some of our most vulnerable citizens—those receiving SNAP benefits,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson.  “We will use the full force of the federal government to bring justice for our citizens on government assistance.”

According to allegations in the indictment, between July 2024 and August 2025, the defendants were members of an identity theft ring that defrauded the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP) in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and other states of more than $760,000. The indictment alleges that the defendants and their coconspirators used skimming devices placed at ATMs, fuel pumps, and other means, to steal the data of electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards used to distribute SNAP benefits to eligible individuals. The stolen information was then loaded onto counterfeit bank cards, gift cards, and other such access devices, that the defendants then used at large membership warehouses to buy in bulk thousands of dollars of coffee, candy, energy drinks, and baby formula. For example, on August 1, 2025, the defendants allegedly used counterfeit cards cloned with stolen information of legitimate SNAP EBT cards issued in New Jersey to purchase over $15,600 in coffee, candy and other items from a from a warehouse club in Gastonia, North Carolina. On August 2, 2025, the defendants purchased coffee and candy totaling over $19,000 from a warehouse club in Pineville, North Carolina, using counterfeit cards loaded with stolen information from SNAP EBT cards issued in Massachusetts and New Jersey. The indictment further alleges that the defendants transported, resold or intended to resell the items purchased with counterfeit cards.

If convicted, the defendants face up to five years in prison for the conspiracy charge; up to 10 years in prison for the possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices; up to 15 years in prison for illegal possession of device-making equipment; up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud charge; and up to two years in prison for each aggravated identity theft charge, to be served consecutive to any other prison term imposed. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The charges against the defendants are merely allegations and they are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked HSI, the USDA-OIG, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and their state and local partners for their work on the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Savage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.