Baltimore, MD (JK) – A 22-year-illegal alien with dual Romanian and Irish citizenship has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to defraud the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP).
Fabritio Sardaru participated in a scheme that targeted Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards across Maryland and multiple other states including California, Kentucky, Tennessee, and New York. Using skimming devices and other methods, Sardaru and co-conspirators collected EBT information from victims, cloned cards, and used them to make fraudulent purchases, often in bulk.
In July 2022, Sardaru and a co-conspirator used cloned cards to buy 11 cans of baby formula in Howard and Montgomery counties. During a traffic stop that same day, Montgomery County Police discovered approximately 353 cans of baby formula in the vehicle.
The fraudulent activity affected at least 15 SNAP recipients, leaving them temporarily unable to access food until their benefits were replenished. The total losses attributed to the conspiracy in Maryland alone are estimated at roughly $343,756.
The case was investigated with assistance from Montgomery County and Howard County police, as well as federal authorities from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General.
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