A Romanian national unlawfully residing in the U.S., Rexona Caldararu, has been sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for defrauding elderly victims by stealing their bank cards and money. Caldararu, 34, also received five years of supervised release following her conviction.
From summer 2023 to summer 2025, Caldararu and her co-conspirators targeted elderly shoppers. They would memorize debit card PINs at grocery store checkouts, then follow victims to their cars. Using a distraction tactic, they would claim the victim dropped cash and, while "helping" to return it, would swap the victim's debit card. The stolen cards were then used to withdraw money from bank accounts and make purchases.
Caldararu defrauded 12 victims, primarily from the District of Oregon, stealing more than $73,500. She had a history of similar offenses in the U.S., United Kingdom, and France. She pleaded guilty on January 22, 2026, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, following a federal grand jury indictment in Portland on October 7, 2025. U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford announced the sentencing, with the FBI investigating and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine A. Rykken prosecuting the case.