Oregon Man Used Cloned Cards to Steal From Families in Need Across Three States

A 29-year-old Italian national, living in Oregon, was yesterday sentenced to two years in federal prison for taking part in a multi-state criminal conspiracy that robbed low-income, food-insecure individuals and families of millions of dollars of benefits.

Giovanni Spirea was part of a criminal conspiracy that stole more than $2.4 million from people in need. He was ordered to pay restitution of $61,874.32 and will be subjected to three years of supervised release.

The Criminal Conspirators Used Electronic Devices to Skim SNAP Benefits

The thefts occurred between August 2023 and October 2024 when Spirea and his co-conspirators used electronic devices to skim Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

They encoded stolen data onto cloned Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards and then used the illicit funds to purchase items illegally.

Spirea shared stolen account information with other members of the organization, which they all used to purchase large quantities of infant formula, energy drinks, and other SNAP-eligible nonperishable food items from grocery stores in Oregon, Washington, and California. Using websites associated with grocery stores, the conspirators then offered curb-side pickup.

Conspirators Bought Goods Weighing More Than 120,000 Pounds

According to court documents, the conspirators purchased a total of more than 120,000 pounds of goods, which they stored at residential properties and storage units in Oregon and Washington, until they were packaged and privately transported to California.

The fraudulent goods had a black market value exceeding $2.4 million.

On October 9, 2024, a Portland federal grand jury returned a 16-count indictment charging Spirea and 16 co-conspirators.

Spirea was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and the unauthorized use of access devices. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. on July 30, 2025.