Man kidnapped at gunpoint, then forced to withdraw money from ATM, CA cops say

A man was kidnapped at gunpoint and forced to withdraw money from an ATM, California police said.

Now, two men have been arrested, according to a May 29 news release by the Culver City Police Department.

On May 13, the victim walked into the police department and said while walking to his car, an SUV approached him before the person in the passenger seat pointed a gun at him and forced him inside, police said.

The two accused kidnappers drove the man to a bank and forced him to make several withdrawals, police said.

After they were unsuccessful in obtaining money from the man’s friend, they took him back to the bank and made him make more withdrawals, police said.

They took a total of $540, police said.

Then, they freed the man in a residential area and told him to not contact police, officers said.

On May 27, the two men, later identified as Franzezo Dumitru, 23, of Washington, and Stan Eduardo, 21, of New York, were arrested during a “high-risk traffic stop,” police said.

They were charged with kidnapping for ransom and robbery, police said.

Culver City is about a 10-mile drive southwest from downtown Los Angeles.

This story was originally published May 30, 2025 at 9:49 AM with the headline "Man kidnapped at gunpoint, then forced to withdraw money from ATM, CA cops say."