ROBBERY WITH VIOLINS: Fake Fiddler Scooped USD 80,000 Pretending To Play For Charity

A fake violinist who fiddled USD 80,000 from well-wishers who thought he was raising cash for a children’s charity has been seized by police in the USA.

Giovani Radu, 22, poses in undated photo. He was accused of pretending to play the violin while aggressively soliciting donations in Royal Palm Beach, Florida, USA. (Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office/Newsflash)

Giovanni Radu, 22 – who could not play a note – mimed to backing tracks of violin music claiming to raise cash for good causes in Palm Beach, Miami state.

Italian national Radu is said to have carried a sign saying he was raising cash for his sick child.

Passers by complained to police that they thought the bogus busker – now facing deportation – was fake miming along to pre-recorded tracks.

Police say he had raised USD 80,000 – or GBP 64,700 – in donations before he was busted.

Newsflash obtained a statement from US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). dated 19th January saying: “Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Miami, in partnership with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, arrested Giovanni Radu, a 22-year-old citizen of Italy who entered the United States as a nonimmigrant and violated the terms of his admission. ERO Miami detained Radu in Royal Palm Beach.”

ERO Miami Field Operations Director Garrett Ripa said: “This individual flouted the limits of his immigration status, and our officers have done an outstanding job of imposing the consequences of his choices.”

He added: “The U.S. will not be a haven for those who take advantage of the immigration system.”

The ICE statement also said: “The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office first encountered and arrested Radu after receiving complaints of aggressive panhandling and fraud related to misrepresentation during a solicitation of charity.

“Specifically, Radu allegedly possessed a sign in a public area stating that his children needed food while pretending to play a violin.

“He played prerecorded music in the background to trick passersby into believing he could play the violin and collect charitable donations.”

The statement also accused Radu of conning tens of thousands of dollars out of people.

It went on: “According to his arrest report, Radu collected a total of USD 80,000 in the past year using a fake nonprofit.

“Radu is facing state charges, including organized scheme to defraud, failure to register as a charitable organization, failure to disclose information for charity, misrepresentation for solicitation of charity, soliciting charitable donation under false pretenses, providing false name to law enforcement, carrying a concealed weapon during a felony, and battery on a law enforcement officer.”

The statement also said: “ERO, a directorate of ICE, upholds U.S. immigration law at, within, and beyond our borders. ERO operations target public safety threats, such as convicted criminal noncitizens and gang members, who have violated our nation’s immigration laws, including those who illegally re-enter the country after being removed and immigration fugitives ordered removed by federal immigration judges.

Image shows the shopping mall on State Road 7 in Royal Palm Beach, Florida, USA, undated photo. Giovani Radu, 22, was accused of pretending to play the violin while aggressively soliciting donations. (Google Maps/Newsflash)

“ERO deportation officers assigned to Interpol also assist in targeting foreign fugitives for crimes committed abroad at-large in the U.S. ERO manages all aspects of the immigration enforcement process, including identification and arrest, detention, bond management, supervised release, transportation, and removal. Additionally, ERO repatriates noncitizens ordered removed from the U.S. to more than 150 countries worldwide.”