Romanian National Faces Sentencing for $1.8 Million Consumer Fraud Scheme

Claudiu Pesteleu, a Romanian national, will appear for sentencing at 9:40 a.m. on June 4 2026 in U.S. District Court in Las Cruces, New Mexico, for his role in a fraud scheme that stole more than $1.8 million from consumers across the United States.

The scheme involved the creation of fake business websites designed to deceive consumers into making payments for nonexistent goods and services. It affected victims nationwide, with losses exceeding $1.8 million according to the Department of Justice.

Pesteleu previously pleaded guilty. The June 4 hearing marks the shift from adjudication to punishment under federal fraud statutes, after which the court will impose a sentence that includes potential incarceration, supervised release and restitution obligations.

The sentencing triggers immediate downstream requirements. The judge must determine the final restitution amount owed to identified victims, a figure the Bureau of Prisons and U.S. Probation will then enforce. Federal prosecutors will also update the case in international law-enforcement databases, potentially aiding parallel investigations into co-conspirators still operating overseas.

Any prison term will activate formal extradition or deportation proceedings upon completion, as Pesteleu is not a U.S. citizen.

This prosecution forms part of the Justice Department's broader effort to dismantle transnational fraud networks that rely on foreign actors to target U.S. consumers. The department has brought similar cases in multiple districts in recent years, often charging defendants with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for operating fake storefronts and phishing sites.

The original complaint and plea agreement in this matter were filed in the District of New Mexico.

Primary sources: U.S. Department of Justice