COLUMBUS, Ohio — Three Columbus residents are facing serious charges after allegedly orchestrating a large-scale fraud operation involving stolen SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits totaling at least $600,000, according to the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS).
A Franklin County grand jury indicted Ionut Bizga, 33, Doina Bacelan, 32, and Juan Hernandez, 26, on one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and four counts of illegal use of SNAP benefits each.
An investigation led by the Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) uncovered that the suspects allegedly used card skimmers to steal EBT card data, then used the stolen benefits to purchase bulk items such as candy and energy drinks at Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale locations. These goods were stored in Columbus-area storage units, then shipped out of state and resold, often through local distributors.
Timeline & Key Findings:
August 2024: Franklin County Job and Family Services reported suspicious SNAP transactions.
October 2024: OIU agents identified the suspects at multiple retail stores using surveillance footage.
May 14, 2025: Bizga and Bacelan were arrested during a felony traffic stop on I-70 near St. Clairsville.
May 15, 2025: OIU executed eight search warrants, seizing:
Hundreds of cases of candy and energy drinks
Cloned credit and gift cards
Skimming devices and card readers
Gold coins, jewelry, $62,600 in cash, and multiple vehicles
Authorities say the suspects were also seen installing credit card skimmers in stores across Ohio and Kentucky.
Seized Storage and Vehicles:
Public Storage (Morse Rd): 32 cases of energy drinks
A+ Storage (E. Livingston Ave): 232 cases of energy drinks, 205 cases of candy
Kia Sedona: 125 cases of candy
Volkswagen Jetta: Skimmers, laptops, cloned cards
Honda Odyssey: Records, criminal tools
Columbus Residence: Laptops, skimmers, cloned EBT cards
OIU is pursuing asset forfeiture of the vehicles and seized valuables. Additional suspects may face charges pending identification.
Authorities are urging businesses to remain vigilant against card skimming and report suspicious activity.
