Romanian National Appears in Federal Court Following Extradition from Romania on Bank Fraud Charges Stemming From “Vishing” Scheme

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - A Romanian national appeared in court today to face bank fraud charges for his role in a "vishing" scheme, following his extradition from Romania, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

On November 14, 2017, a federal grand jury in Charlotte returned a criminal indictment charging Gavril Sandu, 53, with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of bank fraud. Sandu was arrested in Romania on January 9, 2026. He was extradited to the United States on April 30, 2026.

"Greed crosses borders, but so does our relentless pursuit of justice," said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. "Scams originating outside of our country are out of control. Wherever scammers operate - here or abroad - we will use every tool available to bring them to justice."

"Today's digital age provides greater opportunity to steal your identity and your money. That unfortunate reality has allowed cyber criminals to use and exploit stolen information for their own profit. The FBI remains committed to holding international cyber fraudsters accountable and ensuring there is no place they can hide, and justice has no timeline," said Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina.

According to allegations in the indictment, Sandu was part of a conspiracy that carried out an extensive "vishing" bank fraud scheme. "Vishing" or "voice phishing," is a form of criminal cyber fraud that uses seemingly legitimate phone calls or voicemails to trick victims into revealing sensitive personal, financial, or login information. Cyber criminals then use this information to gain unauthorized access to victims' financial accounts to steal funds and carry out fraudulent transactions.

According to the indictment, from May 2009 to October 2010, Sandu and his co-conspirators executed the scheme by hacking into small businesses' Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) systems and then deploying a script to contact financial institution customers and to defraud them in providing their personal debit card and PIN numbers.

The indictment alleges that Sandu assisted in the conspiracy by obtaining victims' debit card numbers and PINs from his co-conspirators, which he then used to make magnetic stripe cards with the victims' fraudulently obtained debit card numbers. Sandu also allegedly operated as a money mule, traveling to ATMs to withdraw money and funds from the banks and credit union accounts of the victims of the scheme. Sandu then allegedly provided his co-conspirators with a percentage of the fraudulently obtained victims' money and kept a portion for himself.

Sandu was placed in federal custody after the hearing. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI in Charlotte led the investigation. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs, FBI LEGAT, and Romanian authorities provided significant assistance in securing Sandu's arrest and extradition.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Warren with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.