LEE CO., Fla. — It’s been dubbed as operation ‘Thou Shalt Not Steal.’
It's what law enforcement is calling their year-long investigation into thefts at churches, including some here in Southwest Florida. More than 1,500 donation checks were stolen from 636 churches- 355 of which were in Florida. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation began in December 2020 after Cape Coral Police identified 24 victim churches within Lee County, plus additional victims outside their jurisdiction.
Agents with the FDLE have arrested four suspects accused of traveling throughout Florida- and across the country- stealing donations from hundreds of churches and parochial schools.
“These individuals who, until very recently, were stealing money from churches across the country," said Shane Pollard, Special Agent with Fort Myers FDLE. ”It was almost the perfect crime as Covid-19 swept the country. Some church members stayed home from in-person church services and mailed in their offerings. This theft ring took full advantage of this situation, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in church donations out of church mailboxes.”
The suspects, all Romanian citizens, are accused of stealing donation checks from church mailboxes, hitting as many as 85 churches a day. A variety of aliases were used to deposit stolen checks into numerous bank accounts as well as sending high-value wire transfers to Romania.
“We’re more concerned for the peril of the thieves, at this point.”
Reverand Brent Lauder has been a pastor with Providence Christian Church for 10 years. His church was one of the more than 300 Floridian churches stolen from.
“It isn’t simply stealing from churches, it’s stealing from our communities as well," he says. "It’s bigger than just how is our church a victim, our community is a victim of this brazen act of thievery.”
Lauder says the donation money helps the church fund services for the community. But his main concern isn’t about the money.
“My concern is more for their soul," said Lauder. "That this isn’t just a crime against our community, they’ve stolen from their creator. If I had an opportunity to meet with them, I would assure them that what I think has happened in the, no pun intended but, arresting of this behavior is a mercy to them.”
While four of the six suspects have been apprehended, two remain at large. Reverand Lauder says he hopes the thieves see their wrongs.
“I still would love to speak with them and share that with them because it isn’t hopeless for them at this point. It really is a mercy that they’re getting a snapshot of what’s coming. They have to give an account and it’s either they stand in their rebellion or in the beauty of Jesus. That’s all of our situation.”
The suspects accused of stealing those donations include:
- Ionut Raducan, 33, Orlando, booked into Orange County Jail
- Charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, racketeering, grand theft, unlawful possession of personal identification information and money laundering
- Marius Dumitru, 27, Orlando, booked into Orange County Jail
- Charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, racketeering, grand theft, unlawful possession of personal identification information and money laundering
- Marius Dumitru, 34, Orlando, booked into Orange County Jail. Also known as Viorel Dumitru
- Charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, racketeering, grand theft, unlawful possession of personal identification information and money laundering
- Panait Dumitru, 32, Orlando, booked into Orange County Jail
- Charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, racketeering, grand theft, unlawful possession of personal identification information and money laundering
- Catalin Trandafir, 45, Orlando, WANTED. Also known as Ionut Trandafir
- Charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, racketeering, grand theft, unlawful possession of personal identification information and money laundering
- Simona Trandafir, 39, Orlando, WANTED. Also known as Simona Nitoi
- Charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, racketeering, grand theft, unlawful possession of personal identification information, money laundering and structuring transactions to evade reporting or registration requirements
FDLE agents and Cape Coral Police Department officers were assisted in this investigation by Department of Homeland Security Investigations and Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
The case will be prosecuted by Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.
