SAVANNAH, Ga. — A Romanian citizen illegally living in the United States has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a wire fraud scheme.
Viorel Cristea, 33, was sentenced to 21 months for a scheme that sold fake farming equipment.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Cristea to pay $679,100 in restitution and to be deported upon the completion of his prison term.
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The investigation into the fraudulent operation began in May 2025 after a victim contacted the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office regarding suspicious activity from a dealer purportedly located in Blackshear, Ga.
Investigators determined the company was a front used to defraud more than a dozen purchasers, resulting in total losses exceeding $600,000.
A federal indictment returned in August 2025 alleged the fraudulent operation took place between March 2025 and May 2025.
During that time, Cristea and his co-conspirators used false representations to convince victims to wire large sums of money for used farm equipment. Many of the targeted victims were older adults.
Additionally, victims were told their purchased machinery would arrive within weeks. However, once the money was transferred to bank accounts owned by the conspirators, the sellers stopped responding to inquiries and the equipment was never delivered.
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“Farmers in Georgia and around our nation already face enormous challenges to provide our citizens with food and fiber. Getting ripped off by unscrupulous scam artists – especially those who are illegal aliens – shouldn’t be one of those hardships,” prosecutor Meg Heap said.
A second man named in the indictment, 27-year-old Bogdan Alexandru Gherghevici, remains a fugitive. Gherghevici, also known as “Victor Zema,” is a Romanian citizen who was illegally in the United States and is believed to have fled to Romania when the investigation began.
“We appreciate the help of our federal partners in this prosecution,” Pierce County Sheriff Ramsey Bennett said. “It’s refreshing to see a con artist prosecuted for stealing from hard-working Americans.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Bondura is prosecuting the case. The Homeland Security Investigations Savannah Field Office continues to investigate the matter. There is no parole in the federal system.
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