PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Federal authorities have sentenced an Italian man after discovering that he stole millions of dollars worth of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon has announced that Giovanni Spirea, who was “unlawfully residing” in the state, will serve 24 months in prison. He was additionally sentenced to three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $61,874.32 in restitution.

Officials reported that the 29-year-old man was one of several co-conspirators who used electronic skimming devices to steal the food benefits, convert the stolen data onto fraudulent Electronic Benefit Transfer cards and use the cards to buy products.

According to the Attorney’s Office, the conspirators purchased “large quantit

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