A Romanian national, Bobi Covaciu, 38, faces charges of operating a "confidence" or "sleight-of-hand" scheme at Target stores nationwide. The indictment was issued by the U.S. District Court in St. Louis on April 16, 2025, and Covaciu was apprehended in the Southern District of Texas two days later. He has since been brought to St. Louis where he appeared in court and pleaded not guilty.
The indictment alleges that from September 2023 to September 2024, Covaciu executed his scheme across various Target locations, including those in eastern Missouri. According to the indictment, he deceived cashiers into thinking he had paid the full amount for purchases while actually pocketing some bills and shortchanging the retailer by significant amounts per transaction. The document also notes that Covaciu frequently returned merchandise for a full cash refund.
One specific incident cited in the indictment claims that Covaciu pocketed $2,300 out of a $2,865 transaction. A motion filed for his detention until trial states that stores in over a dozen states were affected by his actions.
Wire fraud carries potential penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine. It is important to note that an indictment is merely an accusation and does not prove guilt; defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf handling prosecution duties.
