Illegal alien steals from SNAP program in massive fraud scheme

As more than 40 million Americans prepare for a disruption to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program handouts amid the Democrat-led government shutdown, a member of a fraud conspiracy related to SNAP has been brought to justice.

On October 15, an Italian illegal alien living in Oregon was sentenced to federal prison after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.

'By siphoning millions of dollars in government funds intended for food-insecure households, this illegal criminal alien proved to be one of the worst of the worst.'

Over the course of 14 months between August 2023 and October 2024, Giovanni Spirea, 29, and his co-conspirators purchased over 120,000 pounds of groceries using electronic skimming devices to steal SNAP benefits.

"Spirea shared stolen account information with other members of the organization, who, along with him, used the stolen benefits to purchase large quantities of infant formula, energy drinks, and other SNAP-eligible nonperishable food items from grocery stores ... and through websites associated with grocery stores offering curb-side pickup," the DOJ said in a press release.

The stolen items were then sold on the black market, the DOJ added.

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Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Spirea and his co-conspirators operated in Oregon, Washington, and California. The estimated value of the stolen goods is $2.4 million.

“By siphoning millions of dollars in government funds intended for food-insecure households, this illegal criminal alien proved to be one of the worst of the worst,” said April Miller, Homeland Security Investigations Seattle acting special agent in charge.

“Protecting government-funded programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program isn’t just about preserving funds — it’s about safeguarding trust in a vital lifeline that millions of families depend on to put food on the table,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott Bradford. “Today’s sentencing should deter perpetrators from defrauding American families and the federal government for personal gain.”

Spirea was sentenced to two years in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $61,874.32 in restitution. Sixteen others were charged in the conspiracy.

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