Italian Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Steal $2.4 Million in SNAP Benefits

Strategic Insights -

A 29-year-old Italian man, Giovanni Spirea, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for his role in a large multi-state criminal conspiracy that stole over $2.4 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from hundreds of low-income and food-insecure individuals and families. Spirea was also ordered to pay $61,874.32 in restitution. The group, which included Spirea and 16 co-conspirators, used electronic skimming devices to steal SNAP benefits, encoded the stolen data on cloned Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, and purchased large quantities of infant formula, energy drinks, and other nonperishable food items from grocery stores in Oregon, Washington, and California.

Key Takeaways:

  • Giovanni Spirea, a 29-year-old Italian man, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to steal $2.4 million in SNAP benefits.
  • The group, which included Spirea and 16 co-conspirators, used electronic skimming devices to steal SNAP benefits and encoded the stolen data on cloned EBT cards.
  • The group purchased over 120,000 pounds of goods, including infant formula and energy drinks, from grocery stores in Oregon, Washington, and California.
  • The goods, with an estimated value of over $2.4 million, were sold on the black market.
  • Spirea was also ordered to pay $61,874.32 in restitution.
  • The conspiracy was investigated by the USDA OIG, HSI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Portland Police Bureau, and other law enforcement agencies.
  • Spirea pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoff Barrow and Nicholas Meyers.
  • The sentence should deter perpetrators from defrauding American families and the federal government for personal gain, according to U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford.

Statistics:

  • $2.4 million: The estimated value of goods stolen and sold on the black market.
  • $61,874.32: The amount of restitution ordered for Spirea.
  • 120,000 pounds: The estimated weight of goods purchased and sold by the group.
  • 16 co-conspirators: The number of people charged with Spirea in the indictment.
  • 24 months: The prison sentence given to Spirea.

Sources:

  • United States Attorneys General
  • http://milnz.co.nz/mil-osi-aggregation/
  • Contify.com
  • USDA OIG (no date)
  • HSI (no date)
  • U.S. Marshals Service (no date)
  • Portland Police Bureau (no date)
  • Oregon Department of Justice (no date)