Infant formula, energy drinks and other groceries purchased with stolen food benefits moved through storage sites in Oregon and Washington before heading to California for illegal resale, part of a series of federal fraud cases involving more than $3 million and at least 40 defendants.
Eleven new indictments, additional guilty pleas and prison sentences disclosed October 21 mark the latest developments in investigations into the theft of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. The cases trace how stolen account information became bulk merchandise, drawing grocery money from households while supplying an interstate resale operation.
In the largest prosecution, 17 defendants were charged with participating in a conspiracy that stole more than $2.4 million in benefits between August 2023 and October 2024. Investigators traced purchases exceeding 120,000 pounds of SNAP-eligible products, including infant formula and energy drinks.
The operation extended beyond checkout counters. Goods accumulated in Oregon and Washington storage locations before being transported to California and sold on the black market. All 17 defendants were arrested in October 2024, and the prosecution has since produced multiple convictions and prison terms.
Ana Escalante, who helped move the merchandise across state lines, was sentenced in September to 27 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $2.4 million in restitution. Twelve defendants in the case have received prison sentences totaling 157 months. Two others have pleaded guilty and are scheduled for sentencing in December.
A second investigation uncovered approximately $700,000 in losses tied to another alleged operation using stolen Electronic Benefit Transfer card numbers and personal identification numbers. Alexandru Telescu and 11 others were charged in November 2025 in a 26-count federal indictment.
Beginning in April 2025, that group allegedly obtained account information through methods including skimming devices installed on retail payment terminals. The stolen credentials allowed purchases against victims’ accounts at stores in Oregon, Washington and California. Merchandise was placed in storage units or transported to California in vans and trucks.
Telescu pleaded guilty September 29 to access-device fraud and aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced January 28, 2027. Aramis and Cristina Manolea, two other defendants in the case, received sentences in May of time served followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy.
The latest indictments also reach the alleged collection of card information. Bly Gnionsiekan Rodoophe Kehi is accused of installing skimming devices in Washington County to capture account data.
Ten additional defendants face charges in separate cases involving stolen EBT cards and PINs used during 2024. Those cases account for approximately $143,000 in combined losses. The pending charges remain allegations, and defendants who have not pleaded guilty or been convicted are presumed innocent.
The October developments bring prosecutions involving theft, transportation and resale into their next stages, with additional sentencing hearings scheduled for December and January.