Three members of a Sacramento family have entered guilty pleas for their role in a nationwide theft ring, which saw a staggering $600 million worth of stolen catalytic converters shipped from California to New Jersey. The accused are all connected to the theft and trade of catalytic converters, which became a major target during the pandemic.
According to federal prosecutors, brothers Tou Sue Vang (32) and Andrew Vang (28), along with their mother Monica Moua (58), ran an unlicensed operation from their Sacramento home. The Californian family bought stolen catalytic converters from local thieves and shipped them to a New Jersey metal refinery called DG Auto Parts LLC (DG Auto). The family is said to have earned $38 million in wire payments through these transactions.
Tou Sue Vang also entered guilty pleas for an additional 39 charges related to money laundering.
“Some of these precious metals are more valuable per ounce than gold, and their value has been increasing in recent years,” said the U.S. attorney’s office. “The black-market price for catalytic converters can be above $1,000 each, depending on the type of vehicle and what state it is from. They can be stolen in less than a minute.”
The bust was part of a broader operation that resulted in charges against 21 individuals in two separate indictments in 2022. The U.S. Department of Justice revealed that arrests, searches, and seizures were carried out in a coordinated effort across multiple states, including California, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, and Virginia.
However, the majority of the big players were located in California, Oklahoma, and New Jersey. The defendants in the last state are accused of operating DG Auto Parts LLC, and of knowingly purchasing stolen catalytic converters from the defendants in California and Oklahoma.
Read: Multimillion-Dollar Catalytic Converter Theft Operation Thwarted By US Law Enforcement
Six defendants operated in multiple locations across New Jersey, which allegedly “de-canned” stolen catalytic converters, extracting the precious metals within, and selling them to metal refineries, making over $600 million in the process.
Meanwhile, in locations across Oklahoma, several defendants were charged with similar crimes. They are accused of receiving hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars each from DG Auto for stolen catalytic converters.
“In Tulsa alone, more than 2,000 catalytic converters were stolen in the past year,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Organized criminal activity, including the large-scale theft of catalytic converters, is costly to victims and too often places citizens and law enforcement in danger.”
The defendants in both California and Oklahoma are being charged with conspiracy to transport stolen catalytic converters, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other charges. The cases are being investigated by local agencies, the Department of Homeland Security, the IRS, and the FBI.
As for Andrew Vang and Monica Moua, who have already pleaded guilty, each face a maximum prison term of five years. Meanwhile, Tou Sue Vang, who admitted to 40 counts, could receive sentences ranging from 5 to 20 years per count and fines ranging from $250,000 to $500,000 per count or twice the gross gain or loss from the crimes.
Additional reporting John Halas
