Romanian National Admits Nationwide Sleight-of-Hand Fraud

ST. LOUIS - A Romanian national on Tuesday admitted involvement in a conspiracy that used sleight-of-hand fraud at least 200 times in 29 states to steal almost $200,000 from two retail chains.

Traian Anghel, 21, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Anghel and his coconspirators committed the fraud by bringing items to store cashiers and handing them the full purchase price in cash that they counted out into piles. They then took the cash, gathered it into a single pile, and slipped bills from the bottom into their pocket before handing the cash to the cashier. Anghel and his coconspirators then returned their purchases to a different store to receive a full cash refund. In at least 200 fraudulent transactions at stores in at least 29 different states, Anghel and the others cost the two retailers about $198,046 in money and property.

Anghel is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 11, 2027. Both charges are punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine. He will also likely be deported, as he is in the country illegally.

Anghel is not related to Bazili Anghel Anghel, who pleaded guilty in October to a similar scheme.

The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karin Schute is prosecuting the case.