COLUMBUS, OH — A nearly year-long investigation by the Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) into a $600,000 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits theft has led to the indictment of three Columbus residents, as announced on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at 12:52 PM EDT. The probe, initiated after a complaint in August 2024, uncovered a sophisticated operation involving card skimmers and fraudulent Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) transactions.
On May 14, 2025, a Franklin County grand jury indicted Ionut Bizga, 33, Doina Bacelan, 32, and Juan Hernandez, 26, on charges of corrupt activity and food stamp fraud. The investigation began when the Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services reported stolen SNAP benefits being used at Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale in Columbus. OIU surveillance identified the suspects making fraudulent purchases, often exceeding $3,000 per visit, to buy bulk candy and energy drinks. These items were stored in units around Columbus, then shipped out of state or sold locally.
On May 14, 2025, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers arrested Bizga and Bacelan during a felony stop on Interstate 70 near St. Clairsville, seizing over $62,600 in cash, gold coins, jewelry, four cell phones, suspected cloned credit cards, and records from their 2011 Toyota Sienna. The following day, OIU executed eight search warrants in Franklin County, targeting storage units, vehicles, and a residence at 3505 McCallum Club. Seizures included 239 cases of energy drinks, 330 cases of candy, laptops, six credit card skimmers, 54 suspected cloned cards, a magnetic card reader/writer, and various criminal tools. The OIU plans to request forfeiture of the seized vehicles, currency, and gold.
The suspects were also observed installing skimmers in Ohio and Kentucky stores. Additional charges are pending as more individuals are identified. The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office, U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Secret Service. OIU urges EBT users to safeguard their cards, avoid sharing PINs, use the ConnectEBT app, and report fraud to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services at https://jfs.ohio.gov/help-center/report-fraud.
