Romanian admits nationwide $130,000 sleight-of-hand fraud

ST. LOUIS – A Romanian national on Tuesday admitted targeting stores across the country with a sleight-of-hand fraud that netted at least $130,000.

Suras Rostas, 21, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of wire fraud.

Rostas admitted travelling the country between roughly April 2023 and October 2024, shortchanging Walmart cashiers by hundreds or thousands of dollars at a time. After cashiers scanned the merchandise or began processing an electronic money transfer, Rostas counted money into piles that added up to at least the full amount of the transaction and handed the piles one at a time to cashiers. He then took the cash back, gathered it into a pile and slipped bills from the bottom of the stack into his pocket. Rostas then regularly returned the merchandise for a full cash refund.

Rostas on Tuesday admitted conducting at least 45 fraudulent transactions at Walmart stores in at least 18 different states, defrauding Walmart of at least $130,000 worth of money and property.

Rostas is scheduled to be sentenced on December 11. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. He will be ordered to repay the money and will likely be deported.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Arnold Police Department handled the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf is prosecuting the case.