Shreveport Reporter

United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Dorin Munteanu Racu, also known as Adrian Ciobanu, a 41-year-old Romanian citizen unlawfully residing in the Western District of Louisiana, has been sentenced to federal prison. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. handed down the maximum sentence of 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

Racu and his co-defendant, Gheorghe Olar, also known as Alin Mielu and Mihai Papurica, a 59-year-old Romanian citizen living unlawfully in the United States, were indicted in 2014 on charges of wire fraud, structuring, and possession with intent to use five or more documents or authentication features. Olar pleaded guilty to possession with intent to use five or more documents or authentication features and was sentenced on January 12, 2017, to an additional ten months in prison for a total sentence of 24 months.

Racu fled from authorities after his initial court appearance on August 19, 2014, remaining a fugitive for over eight years. He eventually returned to Romania. The Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information about his location and sought extradition. Following approval, Romanian authorities arrested him under their treaty with the United States. Racu was then brought back to Lafayette, Louisiana where he remained incarcerated without bond pending trial until he pled guilty.

An investigation revealed that Racu and Olar had previously worked together doing construction work in Lafayette. They sent cash to Romania and other international locations using false identification cards to avoid reporting requirements by wiring amounts just under $3,000 multiple times at various locations.

On March 13, 2014, Racu recruited Olar again for this activity. That evening they continued using false identification cards to send money abroad in structured amounts. After several transactions were completed and while traveling to another location, law enforcement officers stopped Racu for a traffic violation in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. A search of his vehicle yielded over $20,000 in cash and eleven false identification documents depicting their photographs but with different names and addresses.

Forensic evidence indicated that Racu and Olar participated in an illegal conspiracy defrauding hundreds of victims out of over $700,000 through online advertisements on Craigslist involving items like cars and motorcycles that were never delivered after payment was made into Google wallet accounts controlled by co-conspirators abroad.

The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the United States Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Myers P. Namie.