BALTIMORE, Md. – An illegal alien, who is a citizen of Romania and Ireland, received a federal prison term today for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Fabritio Sardaru, 22, to two years in prison for his role in a Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits fraud conspiracy.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker, U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) Northeast Region; Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief Gregory Der, Howard County Police Department (HCPD).
According to his plea agreement, Sardaru participated in a conspiracy to defraud the United States and multiple recipients of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) benefits. In 2022, Sardaru and his co-conspirators obtained EBT information from victims throughout the U.S., including in Maryland, California, Kentucky, Tennessee, New York, and other states. They used skimming devices and other means to carry out the conspiracy.
The cans of powdered formula are used as filler in drug manufacturing. They need to keep digging on this one.