Brothers stole thousands of dollars in candy and coffee from NC stores, feds say
Two Romanian brothers admitted Thursday to stealing thousands of dollars in candy, coffee, energy drinks and baby formula from warehouse clubs in Gastonia, Pineville, Harrisburg, Durham and Winston-Salem, federal prosecutors said.
Marian Ovidiu Dumitru, 37, and Catalin Dumitru, 39, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in U.S. District Court in Charlotte, according to a news release by U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson’s office.
The charge carries a maximum 20 years in prison. Their sentencing date hasn’t been scheduled.
The brothers were in the country illegally during the multi-state scheme that stole at least $760,000 from the federal SNAP program, prosecutors said.
Details of the scheme
According to court records, between July 2024 and August 2025, the brothers and unnamed co-conspirators orchestrated an identity theft ring that defrauded SNAP programs in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and other states.
They used skimming devices at ATMs, fuel pumps and other locations to steal data from electronic benefit transfer, or EBT, cards that distribute SNAP benefits, prosecutors said.
The fraudsters loaded the stolen information onto counterfeit bank cards and gift cards they used to buy large quantities of items at membership warehouse clubs, court records show.
The Dumitrus, for example, bought at least $15,600 in coffee, candy and other items from a warehouse club in Gastonia and at least $19,000 in items from a warehouse club in Pineville, according to court documents. They resold or intended to resell the items, prosecutors alleged.
According to court records, at least 10 people were victims.
Investigators also caught the brothers with at least 15 counterfeit and unauthorized bank cards, prosecutors said. Magnetic strips on the cards were cloned with stolen SNAP EBT account information, court records show.
Stealing from people in need
“These individuals came to the United States illegally and preyed on some of our most vulnerable citizens — those receiving SNAP benefits,” Ferguson said in a statement in the news release.
“They stole benefits from those who actually need them and then resold products bought with those benefits for their own profit,” he said.