Ica Munteanu, Nationwide Sleight-of-Hand Fraud, Missouri 2025

ST. LOUIS – In a brazen case of deception, Ica Munteanu, 34, has admitted to targeting stores across the country with a sleight-of-hand fraud that netted about $211,000.

Munteanu, an illegal immigrant from Romania, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry and one count of wire fraud. The wire fraud charge carries a punishment of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine.

The illegal reentry charge is punishable by up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Munteanu admitted unlawfully entering the U.S. around September of 2016, and was deported back to Romania on September 11, 2017. However, she re-entered unlawfully around March of 2019.

Munteanu was found in Florida on June 24, 2025, and originally charged in the Middle District of Florida with the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf prosecuted the case.

According to the plea agreement, Munteanu stole a total of $211,000 from two national retailers in at least 20 states during at least 70 different transactions. Her method of deception was to bring merchandise or gift cards to cashiers and then count money into piles that added up to at least the full amount of the transaction. She would then take the cash back, gather it into a pile and slip some bills from the bottom of the stack into her pocket before handing the cash back to the cashier. In one example, Munteanu shortchanged a store in Rolla out of $2,800, and then returned the merchandise at three different stores in Illinois for a refund.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Munteanu is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2026.

This case highlights the importance of vigilance in retail transactions and the need for businesses to implement robust security measures to prevent such crimes. It also serves as a reminder of the consequences of re-entering the country illegally.

The defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court, but given the severity of the charges, it is likely that she will face significant penalties.

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