A 29-year-old Italian man living illegally in Oregon has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for his role in a multi-state scheme that defrauded the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) of over $2.4 million, federal officials announced Wednesday.
Giovanni Spirea will also serve three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay more than $61,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Between August 2023 and October 2024, Spirea and 16 co-conspirators used electronic skimming devices to steal data from SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. They cloned the cards and illegally purchased SNAP-eligible items—mainly infant formula, energy drinks, and nonperishables—at grocery stores and curbside pickup services across Oregon, Washington, and California.
Court documents reveal the group acquired over 120,000 pounds of stolen goods, which were stored in homes and storage units before being shipped to California for resale on the black market.
April Miller, acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle, condemned the crime:
“This illegal criminal alien proved to be one of the worst of the worst. By siphoning millions of dollars in government funds intended for food-insecure households, he harmed vulnerable communities and exploited public resources.”
U.S. Attorney for Oregon Scott E. Bradford emphasized:
“Protecting government-funded programs like SNAP isn’t just about preserving funds—it’s about safeguarding trust in a vital lifeline.”
The scheme led to a 16-count federal indictment in October 2024, charging Spirea and his co-conspirators with conspiracy and unauthorized use of access devices. Spirea pleaded guilty in July 2025.
The case was investigated by the USDA Office of Inspector General, HSI, U.S. Marshals Service, and multiple state and local agencies across Oregon, Washington, and California.
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