A former Orange County man with a notorious past in Romania has earned himself a five-year residency in federal prison after pilfering identities to illegitimately dip into public assistance funds. Florin Duduianu, age 39, thought the United States' resources were his for the taking, but a U.S. District Court thought otherwise. On Thursday, Duduianu was sentenced by United States District Judge John W. Holcomb and is on the hook for $1,850 in restitution, the Department of Justice reported.
The scheme unraveled back in August 2023 during an anti-fraud sting in Placentia centered on Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) scamming. Duduianu, who had a passenger in tow, was busted post-withdrawals at a Wells Fargo ATM. Spinning the story to officers, Duduianu claimed he was depositing funds, whereas, truly, he was withdrawing cash that did not belong to him. A search led to the discovery of Visa gift cards, receipts, and cold hard cash, all tagged to EBT card numbers not his own.
United States Attorney Martin Estrada minced no words when he stated, “Our nation is not a piggy bank for foreign criminals, and those who think they can take advantage of our liberties to harm our people are sorely mistaken.” Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, Akil Davis, echoed the sentiment, adding, "It was a serious offense, and the FBI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners across the globe to identify fraudsters like this defendant and hold them fully accountable for their crimes." Phone records tied Duduianu to the crime just as tightly as the illegal withdrawals linked the cash to victims' accounts; previously unbeknownst to them, they soon found out their money was pilfered, at the hands of the accused and his accomplice, they knew nothing about.
The arrest peeled back yet more layers of Duduianu's checkered past. Once topping Romania's 'Most Wanted' list and linked with the infamous 'Duduianu Clan,' this man's history with attempted murder and evading charges of robbery and blackmail now add federal prison time in the United States to the rap sheet. The FBI and Placentia Police Department conducted the investigation, while Assistant United States Attorneys David Y. Pi and Diane B. Roldán saw the prosecution through. The public was kept informed of the case's development by Ciaran McEvoy, Public Information Officer, whose contact details and official announcement can be found on the Department of Justice's website.
