Three Romanian nationals, Costel Aliman, Sabina Munteanu, and Rambo Harna, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in New Orleans. They face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and the interstate transportation of stolen property. The charges are related to an alleged scheme to steal goods and funds from Walmart stores across the U.S., according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
The conspiracy involved Aliman using a sleight-of-hand technique to trick a Walmart cashier by pretending to pay the correct amount of cash while secretly taking some of it. His accomplices, Munteanu and Harna, helped by creating distractions. The group would then exchange the items for refunds at different Walmart locations or redeem money orders and transfer requests for more money than they actually paid. If convicted of the wire fraud conspiracy or Count 1, each member of the group could face up to five years in prison, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Aliman and Munteanu are charged with wire fraud and illegally reentering the U.S. after being removed. These charges could lead to more prison time, fines, and fees. The superseding indictment is just an accusation, and they are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans thanked Homeland Security Investigations and Walmart's Organized Retail Crime Division for their work in the case. The investigation uncovered a theft operation targeting Walmart stores in multiple states. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Hubbell is leading the prosecution, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
