Two Romanian nationals charged in Oregon bank fraud, identity theft case
An indictment unsealed on Friday, October 24, charges Lucian Sulitanu and Rexona Caldararu with multiple counts of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, marking a major step in a federal investigation tied to a string of debit card thefts at grocery store parking lots in Oregon.
The two defendants, both Romanian citizens, each face six counts of bank fraud and five counts of aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. District Court in Portland. They are also charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. The name of a third alleged co-conspirator remains redacted in the indictment.
An earlier FBI affidavit, unsealed briefly in August, alleged that Sulitanu and Caldararu targeted WinCo grocery stores, including one in Springfield, where they reportedly pickpocketed customers’ debit cards.
The FBI described a detailed method in which the suspects would follow victims—often elderly shoppers—through the checkout line to observe them entering their PIN numbers. Outside in the parking lot, one suspect would pretend the victim had dropped money, then attempt to return it by slipping it into the victim’s wallet, stealing the debit card in the process.
The indictment lists several unauthorized cash withdrawals between June 2024 and March 2025 in Portland, Beaverton, Oregon City, and Woodburn.
Federal court records show Sulitanu was arrested in California on September 18, and the grand jury’s indictment was unsealed shortly after arraignment hearings for both defendants. They have pleaded not guilty and were ordered detained as flight risks due to “strong foreign ties,” according to detention orders.
Federal prosecutors have not commented on the case’s prior delay or the removal of related court documents from public access.
