Disputed bishop Sava Cosas charged with ID fraud and theft

Posted by Sarena McRae June 23, 2008 22:31PM



A Cleveland man who calls himself a bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Exile was arraigned Monday on two cases involving theft and stolen identity.

Sava Cosas, 51, is charged with identity fraud, telecommunications fraud, misuse of credit cards and theft.

Cosas opened a credit card account using another man's name and personal information in April 2007, said Ryan Miday, spokesman for the Cuyahoga County prosecutor's office. He used the card to make purchases totaling $6,721.34, authorities say.

If convicted of all charges in this case, Cosas faces up to 14½ years in prison.

In the second case, Cosas is accused of forging a check for $650 in the name of Robert Anderson, 60, priest in the Syro Russian Orthodox Church. Anderson had moved into Cosas' home in October 2005 to take over his church while Cosas was imprisoned on a federal gambling conviction. When Cosas completed his sentence, Anderson moved out of Cosas' house to start his own ministry. But, Anderson's mail continued to come to the house.

Cosas opened a Capital One account in Anderson's name and on Aug. 16 forged a courtesy check for $650 in Anderson's name, Miday said. Anderson said that Cosas has a history of misusing funds.

"He has used the church and black robe to get money out of people," Anderson said. "Somebody's got to stop this man. He's written bad checks to everyone that he deals with."

If convicted of all charges in this case, Cosas faces a maximum of four years in prison. Cosas posted a $1,500 bond.

Recent media coverage of these two cases has caused leaders in the church to challenge Cosas' claim that he is actually a bishop.

Nicolae Condrea, archbishop of the Romanian Orthodox Church in America, said Cosas is not a part of the church.

"Cosas is not with us," he said. "He calls himself a bishop, but he is not in the Romanian Church."

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