BALTIMORE — A European man has been jailed for swindling Maryland residents out of nearly $344,000 in food stamp (SNAP) benefits.
Federal prosecutors say 22-year-old Fabritio Sardaru, a citizen of Ireland and Romania, defrauded victims by using skimming devices to steal money from their EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards.
In many cases he installed the devices at check-out counters of various stores.
Sardaru collected information from the devices to fraudulently duplicate EBT cards, enabling him to purchase items like canned baby formula.
Some of the stores targeted were located in Howard and Montgomery Counties. At least 15 total victims in Maryland were impacted.
Court documents recounted a July 2022 traffic stop in Montgomery County, where Sardaru was caught driving with more than 350 formula cans.
Sardaru's scheme also expanded into other states including California, Kentucky, Tennessee, and New York.
For his crimes, Sardaru was handed a two-year prison sentence.
Over the past few years, WMAR-2 News has reported extensively on EBT thefts in the State.
Since March 2023 Maryland has replaced more than $48 million in stolen benefits.
