United States of America v. Alexandru Telescu and Aramis Manolea

Portland, Oregon, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with conspiracy to steal more than $160,000 of benefits from low income and food insecure individuals and families.

Alexandru Telescu, 29, and Aramis Manolea, 35, have been charged in a 26-count indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States, access device fraud, possession, production, and trafficking of device-making equipment, and aggravated identity theft.

“We are deeply grateful to our partners for their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the integrity of essential programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Those who steal these sacred funds will be held accountable, and we will ensure that these vital programs continue to serve the communities that rely on them.”

“This scheme effectively took food from the dinner tables of struggling American families,” said Carrie Nordyke, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Seattle Field Office. “We’re proud to help our law enforcement partners expose abuse of the SNAP Program and keep government assistance available for those who need it.”

“We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Oregon Department of Human Services, and IRS-CI for their steadfast work on this impactful investigation,” said Shawn Dionida, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA OIG) Special Agent-in-Charge.

According to court documents, beginning in April 2025, Telescu and Manolea, along with others, conspired to use stolen Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) account information and PINs to fraudulently purchase SNAP-eligible items, like infant formula and energy drinks. The defendants, along with their co-conspirators, also conspired to possess and use electronic devices to steal EBT account information and PINs from point-of-sale terminals in Oregon and elsewhere. The conspiracy used the EBT benefits at grocery stores in Oregon, Washington, and California. The stolen goods were packaged in storage units and loaded into vans and trucks for shipment to California.

For example, from July 4, 2025, through October 13, 2025, Telescu and co-conspirators used a Sam’s Club account in California to conduct approximately 231 fraudulent SNAP transactions using victims’ EBT accounts totaling approximately $102,000. From September 5, 2025, through September 9, 2025, Manolea and a co-conspirator used 10 separate EBT accounts in Oregon retail stores to steal approximately $8,739 in SNAP funds. On September 23, 2025, Telescu and co-defendant Andy Perovici installed a skimming device on a retail point-of-sale terminal in Tigard, Oregon, with the intent to capture EBT card account data and customers’ PINs.

Telescu and Manolea made their initial appearance in federal court yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. They were arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending trial.

The USDA OIG and IRS-CI are investigating the case with assistance from the United States Marshals Service for the District of Oregon, Eastern District of California, and the Central District of California, and the Oregon Department of Human Services. Geoffrey A. Barrow and Nicholas D. Meyers, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

12/17/2025 50 Minutes of Proceedings: First Appearance and Arraignment held before Magistrate Judge Jolie A. Russo as to Defendant Alexandru Telescu (USM #25857-512) on 12/17/2025. ORDER: The Court finds Defendant eligible for appointed counsel and appoints Peyton Lee for 12/17/2025, to be succeeded by a CJA Panel attorney. Arraignment held for Defendant Alexandru Telescu (1) on Counts 1, 2, 19, and 20. Defendant advised of rights, waived reading of the Indictment, and proceeds as named. Not guilty pleas and denial of the forfeiture allegation entered. Within 14 days, the attorneys for the government and the defendant must confer and try to agree on a timetable and procedures for pretrial disclosure under Rule 16. Brady Disclosure Order: Pursuant to the Due Process Protections Act, the government is advised of its obligations under Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963) and its progeny. See attached order. Defendant does not request release and is detained for risk of non-appearance. Defendant may seek review of detention at a later date. 5-day Jury Trial is set for 2/24/2026 at 9:00 AM in Portland Courtroom 13A before Judge Karin J. Immergut. Counsel Present for the Government: Geoffrey A. Barrow. Counsel Present for Defendant: Peyton Lee. Restraint Order: NR. (FTR-10B) (Interpreter for Defendant Present: Ioana Nitra) (Romanian) (Oath on file with the court.) (gw) (Entered: 12/17/2025)
12/17/2025 51 ORDER OF DETENTION as to Defendant Alexandru Telescu (USM #25857-512). Signed on 12/17/2025 by Magistrate Judge Jolie A. Russo. (gw) (Entered: 12/17/2025)

A criminal charge is not proof of guilt.