VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A Fruitland Park officer arrested two women for allegedly using stolen SNAP/EBT cards to buy thousands of dollars’ worth of baby formula from at least three stores in Lake County.
It turns out those women are connected to the same investigation in Volusia County, where two more women have also been arrested.
Detectives said Maria Rebeca Mielu and Rosaura Vaduva were arrested on July 25 after a Fruitland Park officer spotted their car turning into a Walmart parking lot in Sumter County.
Officers said they found 156 cans of infant formula, along with receipts from a Walmart and Publix in Leesburg, and a Publix in Tavares.
According to Lake County and Fruitland Park police, Mielu and Vaduva used stolen EBT cards to purchase $3,467.35 worth of baby formula in a single day.
Investigators also recovered dozens of stolen EBT cards. Both women were taken to the Sumter County Jail and later released on bond.
But their trouble isn’t over. According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Mielu and Vaduva were working with two other women: Rossina Domitru and Elana Durac.
Volusia deputies said Domitru and Durac are accused of using stolen EBT cards to purchase approximately $6,000 worth of baby formula from stores in Volusia County.
Durac, who was recently arrested, is the fourth suspect in this multi-county investigation.
Authorities said all four women face charges of grand theft and an organized scheme to defraud.
According to the arrest reports, the stolen EBT cards originated from Texas and New York. Investigators have not released details on how the cards were stolen or obtained, citing an ongoing investigation.
The Department of Homeland Security is also involved in the case. According to authorities, Mielu and Vaduva do not have legal status in the United States.
The arrests have shocked some parents who say crimes like this ultimately hurt families who rely on programs like SNAP and EBT.
“It messes everyone up that takes the EBT benefits, WIC benefits,” said Briana Mayner, a mother of two.
“My daughter is 10 months old, and we buy like 15 cans a month,” she said. “It’s $26 a can.”
The investigation remains ongoing.
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