Romanian fugitive apprehended in Washington state after fleeing prosecution in Georgia

SAVANNAH, Georgia: An illegal alien on the run has been arrested in the Western District of Washington near Seattle.

Bogdan Alexandru Gherghevici, a/k/a "Victor Zema, 27, originally indicted in August 2025 in a 16-count indictment charging him with federal Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft charges, has been apprehended and is set to be transferred back to the Southern District of Georgia. Gherghevici was illegally in the United States and fled when the investigation began. Gherghevici is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Gherghevici's co-defendant, Viorel Cristea, 33, a Romanian citizen illegally present in the United States, was convicted of one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $679,100 in March 2026.

The investigation began in May 2025 when a victim contacted the Pierce County, Georgia, Sheriff's Office regarding suspicious activity from a farm equipment dealer purported to be in Blackshear, in the Southern District of Georgia. Sheriff's Office investigators and Homeland Security Investigations agents determined the company was fraudulent, and HSI agents identified Cristea and Gherghevici as conspirators.

According to the indictment, it was alleged that at least as early as March 2025, and up to and including May 2025, both defendants participated in an extensive scheme falsely claiming to sell used farm equipment. This fraudulent scheme victimized more than a dozen prospective purchasers across the country, many of them elderly, and resulted in a total loss of more than $600,000.

The capture, and subsequent extradition of Gherghevici has been ordered by Western District of Washington Magistrate Judge Brian A. Tsuchida, ensures the Southern District of Georgia can proceed with the prosecution of the case.

"We commend our law enforcement partners no matter where they may be, and the team effort across the country will now send this defendant back to answer for the conduct alleged in this case," said U.S. Attorney Heap. "We look forward to bringing this case to a resolution and assisting the victims with closure."

"Fleeing prosecution does not erase the harm caused to victims or stop HSI from pursuing justice," said Steven N. Schrank, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. "This arrest reflects the strength of our partnerships with the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and law enforcement partners in Washington state. HSI will continue working across jurisdictions to identify, locate, and bring alleged fraudsters before the courts."

The case was investigated by HSI Savannah Field Office, the Pierce County Sheriff's Office and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Bondura, Olivia Brame, and L. Alexander Hamner.