[REVISION HISTORY]

Romanian organized crime investigation in US and Romania

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-14 15:22 UTC → 2026-10-15 03:37 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Romanian nationals Rudi Lacatusu and Mirabela Lacatusu were taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody following an alleged jewelry theft spree targeting elderly victims across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Maryland. The couple, who reportedly entered the U.S. illegally, allegedly committed at least 14 thefts involving gold necklaces valued between $2,000 and $3,000 each. In a broader investigation, Romanian authorities (DIICOT) and the FBI are targeting an organized criminal group suspected of customs fraud and money laundering. This ~~group~~ group, reportedly formed in 2021 by Romanian citizens, allegedly used falsified documents to evade duties on luxury vehicle imports from the United States. Investigators believe the group laundered proceeds from various U.S.-based crimes, including theft, fraud, and robbery, by purchasing real estate, luxury cars, and jewelry in Romania. In a coordinated operation involving the FBI, police conducted 42 searches across Bucharest and the counties of Argeș, Vâlcea, and Dolj. During the investigation, one individual, Alexandru Diamant, publicly claimed he paid the required customs duties for a Lamborghini and a Rolls-Royce imported from the U.S. in 2020, contesting the seizure of the vehicles.

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