Federal prosecutors in Oregon announced Oct. 21 that at least 40 people face charges for conspiring to defraud the United States of more than $3 million in SNAP benefits. Prosecutors say the defendants stole EBT card data, often with skimming devices, and used it to buy large quantities of food and other eligible goods. The largest case involves 17 defendants and more than $2.4 million.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford spoke at a press conference at the federal courthouse in Portland, where the office also reported new guilty pleas, 11 new indictments and prison sentences in two interstate schemes. For the more than 700,000 Oregonians on SNAP, according to KPTV, the cases show how the thefts worked and how far the goods traveled.
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How did the largest ring operate?
The case is U.S. v. Ramirez Dumitru and others. A grand jury charged 17 people in October 2024 with stealing more than $2.4 million in SNAP benefits, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office says all 17 were arrested that month. From August 2023 to October 2024, prosecutors say, the group used skimmers and other methods to steal EBT data.
The group then bought infant formula, energy drinks and other eligible items in Oregon, Washington and California, including through curbside pickup orders. More than 120,000 pounds of goods were stored in Oregon and Washington and shipped to California for sale on the black market, the office says.
Ana Escalante, who transported goods across state lines, was sentenced in September to 27 months in prison and ordered to pay $2.4 million in restitution. Twelve defendants in the case have received a combined 157 months, and two others have pleaded guilty and face sentencing in December.
What is the second ring accused of?
In U.S. v. Alexandru Telescu and others, Telescu and 11 others were charged in November 2025 in a 26-count indictment, with losses estimated at $700,000. Prosecutors say that starting in April 2025 the group used stolen EBT numbers and PINs, along with skimmers on retail payment terminals, to buy eligible goods in the same three states.
Some of the goods went into storage units, and others were shipped to California by van and truck, according to the release. Telescu pleaded guilty on Sept. 29 to access-device fraud and aggravated identity theft, and sentencing is set for Jan. 28, 2027. Co-defendants Aramis and Cristina Manolea pleaded guilty to conspiracy and were each sentenced in May to time served plus three years of supervised release.
Who was charged in the newest indictments?
Bly Gnionsiekan Rodoophe Kehi was indicted on Oct. 7 on charges of conspiracy to commit access-device fraud and possessing device-making equipment. Prosecutors allege he installed skimmers on payment terminals in Washington County to collect card data.
Ten more defendants were charged in September and October with unauthorized use of access devices and aggravated identity theft. Prosecutors allege each used stolen EBT numbers and PINs in 2024 to obtain more than $1,000 in merchandise, with combined losses estimated at $143,000. The charges are allegations until a defendant pleads guilty or is convicted.
Why are prosecutors pressing these cases now?
KPTV reported that the Justice Department said the White House directed it to prioritize SNAP fraud prosecutions. Bradford told the station that federal officials count more than $3 million in food assistance stolen in Oregon since October 2024, when the $2.4 million theft that began the first investigation came to light.
Skimming devices were found at convenience and grocery stores around the state, KPTV reported, and the thefts left victims with zero balances. Stolen benefits bought baby formula and energy drinks that were then sold for cash on the black market. “They are organized and deliberate and widespread and we are dismantling them piece by piece,” Bradford said.
More than 700,000 Oregonians rely on SNAP, about 18% of the state’s population, KPTV reported. That is the pool of households any skimmer at a checkout terminal can reach, and the cases show how quickly stolen card data was turned into pallets of goods: 120,000 pounds in the largest ring alone, moved across three states.
What did officials say about the families who lost benefits?
“When SNAP benefits are stolen, real families go without food,” Bradford said. John Walk, the USDA inspector general, said the infant formula sales put public health and safety, “including of babies,” at risk. The investigation involved the USDA Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Marshals Service, along with police departments and state agencies.
KPTV reported that Bradford said the Justice Department is looking into whether any stores were involved, and that he was unclear whether any stolen funds have been returned to victims. The release carries no guidance for SNAP households on getting stolen benefits replaced. The skimmers described in the cases captured card numbers at ordinary checkout terminals, which is why the same habit matters for every account a household uses: a thief with one number can empty a balance in a single trip.
Is your own card number only one skimmer away from a drained balance?
The Oregon cases describe thieves who collected card numbers at checkout and then drained benefit balances, leaving families with nothing left for food. The same kind of thief goes after the bank accounts that sit beside a benefit card.
Scam-Proof Your Accounts in a Weekend is a 13-page guide to the bank, credit and tax accounts around a household’s money, and it includes how to lock your bank logins with two-step login, alerts and a verbal password. It starts with a 60-second scan and puts the ten moves in weekend order, so the ones that protect the most money come first. It does not cover EBT cards.
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Warren Cohen is a finance writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, covering personal finance topics including credit, banking, and beginner investing. He earned his degree in business administration from Arizona State University and began his career working in consumer finance, where he gained direct experience with lending and credit systems. He now writes for personal finance websites and fintech platforms, focusing on clear, practical content that helps readers make informed financial decisions.
