"Juan Carlos Thola Duran admitted to leading a scheme that enabled organized theft crews, primarily from South America, to carry out burglaries and retail thefts across multiple states."
"The operation is estimated to have resulted in at least $23.9 million in losses, with participants using stolen credit cards to quickly purchase items from stores like Target and Best Buy."
"Thola-Duran structured cash withdrawals to avoid federal reporting requirements, repeatedly withdrawing amounts under $10,000 to launder illicit earnings from the thefts."
Juan Carlos Thola Duran, 59, pleaded guilty to leading a theft ring that caused $23.9 million in losses across the U.S. The operation involved organized theft crews, primarily from South America, executing burglaries and retail thefts in Southern California. A Van Nuys car rental business supplied vehicles to these crews, who used stolen credit cards to purchase items from major retailers. Thola-Duran acted as a fence, reselling stolen goods. The group also fraudulently obtained nearly $275,000 in COVID-19 relief funds and laundered money through structured cash withdrawals.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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