Two Romanian nationals living unlawfully in the United States have been federally indicted in a scheme that used stolen Electronic Benefit Transfer information to pilfer more than $160,000 in SNAP benefits across multiple states.

Federal prosecutors say Alexandru Telescu, 29, and Aramis Manolea, 35, made their first court appearances after a grand jury returned a 26-count indictment. The charges include conspiracy to defraud the United States, access device fraud, possession, production and trafficking of device-making equipment, and aggravated identity theft. Officials allege the defendants worked with others to orchestrate a coordinated fraud operation.

According to court filings, the conspiracy began in April 2025 and relied on stolen EBT account numbers and PINs to buy SNAP-eligible items such as infant formula and energy drinks. Investigators say the stolen benefits were spent in retail stores in Oregon, Washington and California. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program serves roughly 42 million people every month.

“We are deeply grateful to our partners for their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the integrity of essential programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Those who steal these sacred funds will be held accountable, and we will ensure that these vital programs continue to serve the communities that rely on them.”

Prosecutors allege the group used electronic devices and skimming equipment to capture EBT card data and customer PINs from point-of-sale terminals at retail locations. The stolen goods were reportedly packed into storage units and loaded into vans and trucks for shipment to California distribution points. Authorities also say the conspiracy involved producing and trafficking the very tools used to steal account information.

“This scheme effectively took food from the dinner tables of struggling American families,” said Carrie Nordyke, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Seattle Field Office. “We’re proud to help our law enforcement partners expose abuse of the SNAP Program and keep government assistance available for those who need it.”

Investigators provided concrete examples of the alleged fraud. From July 4, 2025, through October 13, 2025, Telescu and co-conspirators allegedly used a Sam’s Club account in California to run about 231 fraudulent SNAP transactions on victims’ EBT accounts totaling roughly $102,000. “We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Oregon Department of Human Services, and IRS-CI for their steadfast work on this impactful investigation,” said Shawn Dionida, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General Special Agent-in-Charge.

Additional incidents cited in the indictment include activity from September 5 through September 9, 2025, when Manolea and an associate are accused of using 10 separate EBT accounts in Oregon stores to steal about $8,739. On September 23, 2025, Telescu and co-defendant Andy Perovici allegedly installed a skimming device on a point-of-sale terminal in Tigard, Oregon, intending to capture card data and PINs. Those actions are among several events prosecutors highlight to demonstrate the operation’s scope and method.

Telescu and Manolea appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge, were arraigned, pleaded not guilty and were ordered detained pending trial. The case remains an active federal prosecution and will proceed through the district court system. Courts will handle pretrial motions, discovery and scheduling as the matter moves toward resolution.

The investigation is being led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and IRS Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service in the District of Oregon, the Eastern District of California and the Central District of California, plus the Oregon Department of Human Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey A. Barrow and Nicholas D. Meyers for the District of Oregon are handling the prosecution.