A Romanian national has been sentenced to 24 months in prison for orchestrating a sleight-of-hand fraud scheme that targeted Walmart stores across the United States, resulting in losses of at least $130,000.
Suras Rostas, 22, traveled throughout the country between April 2023 and October 2024, carrying out at least 45 fraudulent transactions at Walmart locations in no fewer than 18 states. According to court records, after cashiers scanned merchandise or began processing electronic money transfers, Rostas would count out cash into piles matching the transaction amount and hand them to the cashier one by one. He then retrieved the cash and surreptitiously removed bills from the stack before handing it back again. In some cases, an accomplice would distract the cashier during this process. If a cashier attempted to recount the money, Rostas repeated his actions until they accepted it without further checks. Each incident cost retailers hundreds or thousands of dollars. Afterward, he often returned purchased items for full refunds.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf stated in court that Rostas entered the United States illegally in 2023 and began his scheme immediately upon arrival. “He kept doing it,” Ladendorf told Judge Matthew T. Schelp during sentencing proceedings on Thursday in St. Louis federal court. Ladendorf also noted that this case is one of four similar prosecutions currently underway due to major retailers reporting millions of dollars lost through comparable schemes.
Judge Schelp ordered Rostas to pay $135,290 in restitution to Walmart and directed that his sentence run consecutively with pending cases against him in Idaho, Arkansas, Florida, and St. Louis County, Missouri.
During sentencing, Judge Schelp addressed Rostas directly: “Frankly, I don’t appreciate your disdain for America and American laws.”
Rostas pleaded guilty in September to two counts of wire fraud.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations division alongside the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Arnold Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf prosecuted the case.
