Romanian National Sentenced to Over Three Years for Nationwide SNAP Benefits Fraud Conspiracy

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, a Romanian national has been sentenced to federal prison time for his involvement in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, a scheme that defrauded the United States and numerous SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) beneficiaries across multiple states. Florin Serdaru, 29, an undocumented immigrant and citizen of Romania, received a sentence of 39 months incarceration from U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin. In addition to the prison term, Serdaru was ordered to pay $343,756 in restitution and a money judgment of $91,873.52.

The conspiracy involved obtaining Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) information from victims nationwide, including in Maryland, California, Kentucky, Tennessee, and New York. Serdaru and his co-conspirators utilized skimming devices and other illicit methods to acquire sensitive data from EBT cards. These devices were installed at point-of-sale terminals in various commercial establishments, with co-conspirators responsible for acquiring the equipment, shipping it, and managing its installation and removal. The stolen information was then used to create duplicate EBT cards, which were subsequently used to make large bulk purchases of goods.

Authorities discovered Serdaru’s direct involvement through financial records. On November 15, 2022, he used a debit card under the alias “Florin Florea” to upgrade a Sam’s Club membership account in Canton, Ohio. An analysis of this account revealed that approximately 168 unique EBT cards were used for purchases between July 2022 and at least June 2023. These fraudulent transactions totaled roughly $175,612.76 in SNAP purchases, with approximately $12,484.78 of these purchases occurring in Maryland, impacting 14 different victims.

Further investigation uncovered additional fraudulent activity linked to Serdaru. Another Sam’s Club account, operating under the name “Alex Stan,” used a phone number attributed to Serdaru during its creation. Law enforcement found that this account was used to make approximately 46,439.84 in SNAP purchases between June and July 2022, affecting victims in Maryland and four other states. Of this amount, nearly 43,500 was spent in Maryland, utilizing the EBT cards of 28 distinct victims. Additionally, a BJ’s Wholesale account registered under “Alex Stan,” using Serdaru’s home address, was implicated in the fraud. This account facilitated approximately $107,541.92 in SNAP purchases between June and October 2022, impacting 57 victims across Maryland and seven other states. The investigation also revealed that Serdaru personally made bulk purchases on multiple occasions using cloned EBT cards.

The impact of this criminal enterprise was significant for the victims. At least 15 individuals were unable to access essential food items until their benefits were replenished in the following month. The total financial loss attributed to this conspiracy within Maryland alone is estimated at approximately $343,756. This case is part of broader efforts by the Department of Justice to combat fraud, particularly within federal benefit programs, aligning with initiatives aimed at eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse. Previous sentences in this case include co-conspirators Fabritio Sardaru, who received two years in prison, and Maria Roza Tomescu, who was sentenced to 28 months.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office highlighted the collaborative efforts of various agencies in bringing this case to justice, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Howard County Police Department, with valuable assistance from the Maryland Department of Human Services, Office of Inspector General.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

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