An Italian national living unlawfully in Oregon has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for his involvement in a scheme that defrauded the U.S. government of more than $2.4 million in benefits intended for low-income families.
Giovanni Spirea, 29, received a sentence of 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $61,874.32.
Court documents show that between August 2023 and October 2024, Spirea and others used electronic skimming devices to steal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. They encoded the stolen data onto cloned Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards and used these cards to make illegal purchases. The group bought large amounts of infant formula, energy drinks, and other nonperishable food items eligible under SNAP from grocery stores in Oregon, Washington, and California, as well as through online grocery store platforms offering curbside pickup.
The conspiracy involved purchasing over 120,000 pounds of goods, which were stored at various locations in Oregon and Washington before being transported to California by private vehicles or commercial carriers. These goods were then sold on the black market.
“Protecting government funded programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program isn’t just about preserving funds – it’s about safeguarding trust in a vital lifeline that millions of families depend on to put food on the table,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford. “Today’s sentencing should deter perpetrators from defrauding American families and the federal government for personal gain.”
“The USDA OIG is dedicated to upholding the integrity of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. We will work relentlessly with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice and hold conspirators accountable for stealing SNAP benefits from American families. We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, Portland Police Bureau, Oregon Department of Justice, Vancouver Police Department, and all our partner agencies on this joint investigation,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA OIG) Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Dionida.
“The theft of benefits intended for families in need is a serious crime,” said Portland Police Chief Bob Day. “We remain committed to holding accountable those who exploit public resources for personal gain.”
“By siphoning millions of dollars in government funds intended for food-insecure households, this illegal criminal alien proved to be one of the worst of the worst,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “Through the strength of our law enforcement partnerships, HSI remains steadfast in protecting the integrity of our nation’s treasury and pursuing the criminals engaged in financial crimes that defraud our nation’s assistance programs.”
A federal grand jury indicted Spirea and sixteen co-conspirators on October 9, 2024 with charges including Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Unauthorized Use of Access Devices. Spirea pleaded guilty on July 30, 2025.
The investigation was led by multiple agencies including USDA OIG; HSI; U.S. Marshals Service; Portland Police Bureau; Oregon Department of Justice; Orange County District Attorney’s Office; Vancouver Police Department; San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office; Washington County Sheriff’s Office; Gresham Police Department; Redmond (Washington) Police Department Financial Fraud and Identification Theft Task Force; with prosecution by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey A. Barrow and Nicholas D. Meyers from the District of Oregon.
