Woman Charged In Romanian Crime Syndicate Investigation

MINNEAPOLIS — Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced a charge Wednesday related to a national investigation of a Romanian crime syndicate.

Baronita Rostas, 23, faces one felony count of theft by swindle in connection with a "sleight of hand" scheme that was documented in stores throughout the Twin Cities metro area.

Rostas is accused of stealing $6,280 between March 14 and July 27, 2023. However, the investigation is ongoing and additional charges are possible, authorities said.

Rostas was arrested last week by St. Louis Park police and made her first court appearance on Wednesday. She remains in custody at the Hennepin County Jail. The bail has not yet been set.

If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

In June, agents with the Minnesota Department of Commerce began investigating members of a Romanian crime syndicate linked to "quick change" or "sleight of hand" distraction thefts reportedly occurring at retail stores locally and across the nation.

The agency launched its investigation after a report from TJX Companies, the parent company of T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Homegoods, and Sierra, among others. TJX identified several members of the Romanian crime syndicate that were involved in these schemes, including Rostas, authorities said.

Police said Rostas traveled around the country stealing money using the following technique:

1. The suspect approaches a register, presents merchandise for purchase, and begins to converse with the cashier
2. The suspect shows multiple stacks of $100 in $20 bills
3. The suspect retrieves the payment tender for a "re-count."
4. The suspect strategically places a finger in the stack of bills and asks the cashier for the total amount due from the register screen
5. While the cashier is looking at the screen, the suspect removes a portion of the U.S. currency
6. The suspect gives the remainder of the U.S. currency to the cashier and takes full possession of the bills removed from the stack during the sleight-of-hand scheme.
7. The suspect receives the proper amount of change based on the original transaction
8. The suspect exits the store and returns the merchandise at a different store for a full refund

Rostas used this scheme at stores in Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington, and Dakota counties, as well as in North Carolina and Iowa, authorities said. She has been using the technique since at least 2018, according to investigators.

Minnesota court officials also found active warrants for Rostas in Oregon, Ohio, and Pennsylvania for fraud, theft, and larceny.