Tou Sue Vang ran a worthwhile household enterprise in Sacramento along with his brother, Andrew, and his mom, Monica Moua.
However the profitable household enterprise was unlawful and concerned shopping for stolen catalytic converters in a scheme that made greater than $38 million for the household, in response to authorities.
On Tuesday, Tou Sue Vang, 33, was sentenced to 12 years in jail for his position within the theft ring, in response to a information launch from the U.S. lawyer’s workplace within the Japanese District of California.
In 2023, Vang, alongside along with his brother and mom, pleaded responsible to conspiring to move stolen catalytic converters purchased from native thieves and promoting them to a New Jersey purchaser for greater than $38 million, officers stated. Vang additionally pleaded responsible to 39 further money-laundering prices. Vang’s brother and mom are awaiting sentencing.
Catalytic converter theft has change into frequent throughout the U.S. as a result of the automotive half is straightforward to steal, contains no figuring out markings and could be very precious. Catalytic converters comprise treasured metals that make a few of them value greater than $1,000 every on the black market.
No less than one man in Inglewood was shot and killed attempting to cease a catalytic converter theft.
Vang and his household operated the unlawful enterprise from personal residences and storage items and didn’t have a sound enterprise license or a scrapyard, officers stated. Vang shipped to DG Auto in New Jersey greater than 1,000 kilos in items.
DG Auto then bought the converters and the valuable metals to a metallic refinery for greater than $600 million, in response to the indictments.
The case additionally contains 12 defendants from New Jersey, together with brothers Navin Khanna and Tinu Khanna, who ran DG Auto and acquired the stolen catalytic converters from California, authorities stated.
Vang used a few of the cash from the enterprise to purchase a five-acre, $1.235-million residence in Rio Linda, one other residence in Sacramento, in addition to greater than a dozen automobiles and private watercraft, authorities stated. Vang forfeited greater than $150,000 in money as a part of his sentence, plus 13 automobiles, 4 watercraft, jewellery, actual property and different property.
“This defendant led a community of criminals that harm 1000’s of harmless automotive homeowners,” stated Performing U.S. Atty. Michele Beckwith within the information launch. “This case represents the sort of far-reaching investigation that federal, state, and native regulation enforcement companions can do when working collectively.”
