Two Romanian brothers who were living illegally in the United States pleaded guilty in federal court on Thursday for their roles in a scheme that stole more than $760,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from recipients in multiple states, federal prosecutors said.
Marian Dumitru, 37, and Catalin Dumitru, 39, each pleaded guilty to wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to court records, the brothers were part of an identity theft ring that operated between July 2024 and August 2025, targeting SNAP recipients in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and other states. Prosecutors said the group used skimming devices installed at ATMs, fuel pumps, and other locations to steal data from electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards used to distribute SNAP benefits….