Illegal Alien from Romania Pleads Guilty in South Florida to Laundering Proceeds of Online Auction Fraud Scheme

MIAMI – Giuliano Orlando Costin Sandu, 32, a Romanian national illegally present in the U.S., has pleaded guilty to a concealment money laundering scheme operating out of South Florida.

In plea documents and statements made during a hearing in federal court in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Sandu admitted to laundering the illegal proceeds of a nationwide online auction fraud scheme that targeted U.S. citizens who were duped into believing they were purchasing expensive cars, boats, and tractors through online auction platforms. In fact, the ads and auctions were all part of an elaborate online scam that tricked victims into wiring money to one of several accounts opened by Sandu in South Florida. Sandu used several shell companies, false identities, and fake identity documents, including a counterfeit Czech passport, to open the accounts and conceal his identity.

Once the money was deposited into Sandu’s accounts, he would quickly withdraw large amounts of cash, often from multiple accounts in various branches on the same day, in order to prevent recoupment and conceal the nature, location, and ultimate control of the fraud proceeds. Sandu admitted to laundering over three quarters of a million dollars between late 2023 and early 2024.

Sandu was arrested at a local bank branch in April of this year as he attempted to open new bank accounts using a new fake identity with additional false identification documents.

Sandu’s sentencing hearing is set for August 15 at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Securities Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

HSI’s Miami and Salt Lake City, Utah, Field Offices investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Juenger is prosecuting it.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20262.

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