California man led $38M catalytic converter theft ring, lived lavishly off stolen parts
A Northern California man who spent millions on luxury homes, Teslas and personal watercraft was sentenced Tuesday to 12 years in federal prison for running a nationwide catalytic converter theft ring that prosecutors say netted $38 million.
According to court documents, Tou Sue Vang, 33, used proceeds from the illicit sale of thousands of catalytic converters to bankroll a lavish lifestyle, including the $1.2 million cash purchase of a five-acre multi-home compound in Rio Linda, another property in Sacramento, and over a dozen vehicles — among them two Teslas and two Sea-Doo watercraft.
Federal authorities say Vang was the ringleader of a group that trafficked stolen catalytic converters from California to New Jersey, where a metal refinery extracted and sold their precious metals.
'This defendant led a network of criminals that hurt thousands of innocent car owners,' said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith.
Vang, his brother Andrew Vang, and their mother Monica Moua admitted to buying the stolen parts from local thieves — known in court documents as 'cutters' — and shipping them to DG Auto, a New Jersey company run by brothers Navin and Tinu Khanna, who have also been charged in the case.
Some shipments weighed more than 1,000 pounds and contained high-value converters, such as those from the Toyota Prius.
Authorities say the family operated out of homes and storage units, without a valid business license, using falsified shipping manifests and bank withdrawals to launder profits.
'This takedown is the first of its kind in the nation,' FBI Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel said. 'The group is tied to an estimated $38 million in losses.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
18 minutes ago
- Fox News
FBI Deputy Director confirms Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide based on agency's files
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said Thursday that there is nothing in the Jeffrey Epstein file indicated that he died by any other way than by suicide. Bongino updated Fox News host Sean Hannity on the investigation into the Epstein file as conspiracies continue to float that he was murdered in prison. "The evidence we have in our files clearly indicates that it was, in fact, a suicide. We do have video. It's not the greatest video in the world. I don't want to set expectations on fire," Bongino said. "However, the video does show in that specific block, that he goes in, made a phone call; you'll see 12 hours of guards going in basically check on him, come back. You'll see nobody really comes out of that bay in that area than him. There's no one in there. "There's nothing there in the file at all that indicates anything other than in fact a suicide," Bongino added. The American financier died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Family of suspect in Colorado fire attack taken into custody of US immigration
US immigration authorities have taken into custody the family of Mohamed Sabry Soliman, the man who allegedly used incendiary devices to attack a Colorado rally for Israeli hostages, and reportedly revoked their visas. Twelve people were wounded in Boulder on Sunday when the 45-year-old Soliman allegedly attacked people demonstrating for the release of hostages in Gaza in what the FBI has deemed an 'act of terrorism'. During the attack, Soliman shouted 'Free Palestine'. Kristi Noem, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary, announced on Tuesday that immigration agents were taking Soliman's wife and five children into custody, and that federal officials are investigating whether his family knew about his plans. The New York Times also quoted a DHS spokesperson saying the family's valid visas had been revoked. The Trump administration has quickly seized on Soliman's immigration status to push its mass deportation agenda. Soliman, who was born in Egypt, was in the US on an expired tourist visa after entering the country in 2022. He applied for asylum that year and received work authorization that later expired, Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS assistant secretary said. Donald Trump has blamed the attack on his predecessor, arguing it was the result of Joe Biden's 'ridiculous Open Border Policy'. Soliman has said he acted alone, and told police 'no one knew about his plans', according to a state arrest affidavit. The administration doesn't appear to want to wait for a verdict. 'Six one-way tickets for Mohamed's wife and five kids,' the official White House account, shared with an image taken of Soliman during the attack, cropped to include a rainbow Progress Pride Flag on the Boulder courthouse behind him. 'Final boarding call coming soon.' An earlier post from the account said the family was in custody of immigration authorities for expedited removal, adding in all caps: 'THEY COULD BE DEPORTED AS EARLY AS TONIGHT.' In the 48 hours since the attack, Republicans have politicized the events, blaming Democrats for the attempted murders. Colorado Republicans in Congress, Lauren Boebert and Gabe Evans, lashed out at Democrats on social media. 'When progressives allow and encourage hate speech toward Jews for their mere existence, people get hurt,' Boebert posted. In a dozen posts, Evans repeatedly claimed that the attack was 'a direct result of failed sanctuary states like Colorado', even though the state's unwillingness to cooperate with federal immigration officers had nothing to do with the suspected attacker, who had reportedly applied for asylum and so was legally allowed to remain in the US until that claim was adjudicated. But the most inflammatory response came from Danielle Jurinsky, a conservative Aurora city council member, who called the Democratic party 'a demonic cult', and attacked fellow Jews Jared Polis, Michael Bennet, Jena Griswold and Phil Weiser. 'Shame on every single one of you, who have made the Democratic party your religion. Shame on you! You're not Jewish, you're a Democrat!' Soliman allegedly planned the attack for more than a year and initially intended to kill everyone at the rally but did not carry out his full plan 'because he got scared and had never hurt anyone before', according to a police affidavit. He told authorities he had originally planned to use a gun but was unable to buy one because he was not a US citizen. He reportedly left an iPhone with messages to his family in a desk drawer at his family home in Colorado Springs, according to an FBI affidavit. His wife brought the device to the local police department after his arrest, and told officials that it was his but that other family members also used it. Soliman faces numerous state and federal charges, including 16 state counts of attempted murder, 18 related to the use of an incendiary device and a federal hate crime charge. The Associated Press contributed reporting
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
FBI arrest suspect linked to California fertility clinic bombing
STORY: :: June 4, 2025 :: Los Angeles :: A man who allegedly provided chemicals for the California fertility clinic bombing has been arrested :: Bill Essayli, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California "My office and the FBI are announcing the arrest of Daniel Park, a Washington state resident charged in a federal criminal complaint with Title 18, the United States Code Section 2339A, providing and attempting to provide material support to a terrorist, the man who committed a suicide car bombing of the American Reproductive Centers in Palm Springs, California." :: Palm Springs, California :: May 18, 2025 "The sole fatality of last month's act of terror was the bomber himself, 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus of Twentynine Palms, California. The bomb injured numerous victims, destroyed the clinic's building, and damaged surrounding buildings and areas, causing a debris field of approximately 250 yards in size. During the investigation, law enforcement learned of Bartkus' pro-mortalist, anti-natalist, and anti-pro-life extremist ideology. We also learned that the bomber had help. Mr. Park, who shares Bartkus' extremist beliefs, is accused of shipping approximately 180 pounds of ammonium nitrate, an explosive precursor commonly used to construct homemade bombs, to Bartkus." :: Akil Davis, Assistant Director, FBI's Los Angeles Field Office "Park was in possession of an explosive recipe that was similar to the Oklahoma City bomb." "I think our biggest fear is that, is fear of the unknown in that these two subjects weren't really being tracked by any law enforcement agency and the fact that they could, on their own, put together such a destructive device." The suspect, Daniel Park, a 32-year-old man from Washington state, was taken into custody at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, the officials said. He will make an initial appearance in Brooklyn federal court on Wednesday afternoon and eventually face charges in California. Park had been detained in Poland and deported by Polish authorities. U.S. officials were not clear why he had traveled to Poland and said he was not in southern California on the day of the bombing. Officials alleged that Park secured 270 pounds of ammonium nitrate for Guy Bartkus, the primary suspect in the bombing. Ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer, is also a material commonly used to construct homemade bombs, they said. The officials charged Park with providing and attempting to provide material support to a terrorist. Bartkus, 25, died in the blast. A bomb detonated shortly before 11 a.m. local time on May 17 in or near a car parked outside the fertility clinic, operated by American Reproductive Center. In addition to the death of the primary suspect, several other people were injured, according to authorities.
