Vladimir Pestereanu, Moving Company Racketeering, Ohio 2023

Florida man pleads guilty to moving company racketeering conspiracy, defrauding customers of $1.5 million to $3.5 million.

CINCINNATI - Vladimir Pestereanu, 30, of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty this afternoon to participating in a moving company racketeering conspiracy in U.S. District Court. Pestereanu, also known as 'Vova,' admitted to participating in the racketeering activity as a foreman in a West Chester, Ohio warehouse beginning in May 2015.

Pestereanu knew that it was the practice of the enterprise to charge customers for moving more cubic footage of household goods than were actually loaded by members of the enterprise. He also knew that members of the enterprise were refusing delivery of some customers' household goods based on fraudulent charges that were added after customers' goods were loaded by the enterprise.

The defendant participated directly in mail fraud and extortion, demanding additional payment from customers based on fraudulently inflated cubic footage. Participating in a racketeering conspiracy, as defined in this case, is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

The conspiracy is valued at between $1.5 million and $3.5 million. Sentencing of Pestereanu will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers, Regional Special Agent-in-Charge Andrea Kropf, and Special Agent in Charge Chris Hoffman announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Gaffney Painter and Matthew Singer are representing the United States in this case.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh/pr/florida-man-pleads-guilty-role-moving-company-racketeering-conspiracy