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Defendant Sentenced to 89 Months for Integral Role in Sophisticated International Fraud Scheme
A Romanian national has been sentenced to 89 months in prison for his role in a transnational, multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud American victims. Ionut-Razvan Sandu, 35, of Romania, pleaded guilty in April 2022 to conspiracy to commit a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) offense.
Sandu is the 24th member of the organized criminal group to be sentenced, of the 28 who were charged. Four other defendants pleaded guilty to this offense and were sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy between Nov. 16 and 18, 2022, including: Rafael-Liviu Cucu, 33, of Romania to 61 months; Alexandru-Catalin Calin, 40, of Romania, to 61 months; Ciprian-Ionut Filip, 37, of Romania to 70 months; and Gabriel Constantin Georgescu, 37, of Romania to 63 months.
“This highly organized and sophisticated syndicate stole directly from the pockets of hard-working Americans. The criminals then used digital currency to launder their ill-gotten gains,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Criminal Division. “Today’s result is proof that the Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners will never stop pursuing cybercriminals who target the American public—no matter where these criminals reside, and no matter what tools they use to hide.”
“Cybercrime is an increasingly prevalent means for criminals to prey on the public, causing victims, from across the United States, to lose millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “To continue to protect Americans against organized cybercrime, cooperation and coordination among law enforcement is essential. This case is the result of a massive, years-long effort by the U.S. Secret Service to coordinate the investigation of this crime and identify and apprehend the offenders. I commend the exceptional work done by all our law enforcement partners, and we are proud to have joined this cooperative effort to prosecute this significant cyber fraud scheme.”
According to plea documents, beginning as early as October 2014, Sandu and other members of the criminal organization collectively developed a process and offered a service by which co-conspirators based in the United States and abroad would launder the proceeds of online auction fraud. Members of the conspiracy used several tactics to convince victims to send money for the advertised goods, including impersonating a military member who needed to sell the advertised item before deployment.
The defendants also set up call centers to impersonate customer support, address questions, and alleviate concerns over the advertisements. Once victims had sent payment, members of the conspiracy engaged in a complex money laundering scheme offered by Sandu and others wherein U.S.-based conspirators received victim funds, converted those to digital currency, and transferred the funds abroad.
The U.S. Secret Service and its law enforcement partners worked tirelessly to bring this case to justice. The Secret Service remains committed to investigating financial crimes that take place in the cyber domain and bringing those responsible to account.
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Cybercrime|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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