COLUMBUS, Ohio — Three individuals have been indicted on multiple charges for allegedly defrauding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) of more than $600,000 through a large-scale food stamp fraud operation.
Ionut Bizga, Doina Maria Bacelan, and Juan Carlos Pagan Hernandez are accused of orchestrating a “pattern of corrupt activity” involving stolen SNAP benefit cards. Since July 2024, the group allegedly used the stolen cards to purchase thousands of dollars worth of candy, soda, energy drinks, and other items. The goods were then stored in Columbus storage units before being shipped out of state.
During the investigation, authorities seized card skimmers, cloned gift cards, credit cards, laptops, and cell phones. Officials are continuing to pursue additional suspects connected to the scheme.
Bizga, who has a prior conviction for driving without a license and is currently under an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer, was first identified by Columbus Police after a July 2024 incident where he crashed into a fire hydrant. At that time, he was found to be driving with Texas plates and also had Virginia plates in his vehicle.
The case has been ongoing, with court proceedings delayed to provide Romanian interpretation for Bizga and Bacelan. The Ohio Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement are actively working to clamp down on SNAP fraud, aiming to protect taxpayer dollars from being stolen by organized criminal groups.
