Latest news with #OrganizedRetailCrimeUnit
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Yahoo
AG: Pennsylvania man stole identities to buy, sell $100K in merch from Lowe's, Giant Eagle
PITTSBURGH, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Office of the Attorney General has charged a Pennsylvania man for allegedly stealing hundreds of identities and buying over $100,000 in merchandise that he sold on Facebook. The Organized Retail Crime Unit charged Cornelius P. Tucker, 33, of Pittsburgh, with more than 200 counts of felony identity theft and related offenses. According to Attorney General Dave Sunday, Tucker allegedly stole hundreds of identities and made purchases at Lowe's and Giant Eagle. He then put those items up for sale, at a discount, on social media, notably on Facebook. 'This defendant placed hundreds of online orders, under the names and accounts of unsuspecting victims, then fenced the goods to buyers on Facebook,' Sunday said. 'This arrest resulted from a meticulous investigation by our Organized Retail Crime Unit, which would not have been possible without a network of collaborating partners committed to stopping these sophisticated schemes.' Tucker allegedly racked up more than $100,000 by purchasing items such as power tools and home security systems, which he then sold through his Facebook page, 'Pittsburgh Stamps.'Sunday said Tucker would place the order and pick them up at the stores throughout Allegheny, Beaver, Crawford, Washington, and Westmoreland counties. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
DeKalb mother, son among 6 indicted in retail theft ring targeting T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods stores
A DeKalb County mother and her teenage son are among six people indicted on RICO charges following an investigation conducted by the Attorney General's Organized Retail Crime Unit. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] A grand jury in Cherokee County indicted the group last month, but prosecutors did not discuss the details of the case until Monday morning. 'This is just one step in our ongoing efforts to protect Georgia businesses and consumers from the rising threats of organized retail crime,' said Attorney General Chris Carr. 'In Georgia, we won't look the other way – criminals will be held accountable. We're proud to be in this fight with District Attorney Susan Treadaway and all of our law enforcement partners, and we won't rest until these criminal networks are stopped once and for all.' The indictment named Zachary Gaines, 19, of Rex, Rickey McKinney, 19, of Lithonia, Nakeyta McKinney, 49, of Lithonia, Antonio Pearson, 18, of Rex, Javon Dorsey, 21, of Powder Springs, and Travious Johnson, 20, of Jonesboro. All but one of the six defendants are charged with violating the state's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Johnson is charged with conspiracy to violate the RICO Act. Gaines is also facing additional charges, including one count of refund fraud and one count of theft by deception, according to the indictment. 'Cherokee County has no tolerance for organized retail crime,' said District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway, Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit, Cherokee County. 'We are thankful for the partnership with Attorney General Chris Carr and the work of his Organized Retail Crime Unit as we work together to combat organized retail crime in our community.' TRENDING STORIES: 'I was scared': Synthetic braiding hair linked to cancer-causing chemicals Gov. Kemp announces decision on Senate run in 2026, ending speculation Metro Atlanta teen fatally stabbed during fight in Zaxby's parking lot Prosecutors accused the defendants of operating an organized retail crime scheme that targeted T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods locations in Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and Mississippi. The indictment alleges that the group stole tens of thousands of dollars from the stores and then converted the stolen items into more than $40,000 in cash. The indictment accused the defendants of using the following five-step plan to defraud the stores from June 14, 2024, to January 5, 2025: Step One: The defendants are alleged to have shoplifted several high-end items, such as kitchen appliances or bedsheets, from a T.J. Maxx or HomeGoods store. Step Two: The defendants are alleged to have traveled to a second T.J. Maxx or HomeGoods location to return those shoplifted items for store credit in the form of a gift card. As asserted in the indictment, the defendants completed this return using either a stolen I.D. card or that of another person. Step Three: The defendants are alleged to have traveled to a third T.J. Maxx or HomeGoods location, where they utilized the gift card and a debit card to purchase multiple items, often purses or perfumes. This process provides a receipt showing a debit card purchase. Step Four: The defendants are alleged to have traveled to several different T.J. Maxx or HomeGoods locations to return these most recently purchased items. To complete these returns, the defendants are alleged to have used the receipt showing a partial debit card purchase, allowing for the entire refund to be processed to the debit card account. Step Five: Once enough returns were processed, the defendants are alleged to have traveled to an ATM, where they used the debit card to withdraw the funds. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] On Monday, Channel 2's Michael Seiden spoke exclusively with the head of the Organized Retail Crime unit about the indictment and the investigation. 'This is the first indictment that we as a unit have done,' said Timothy Ruffini, a former assistant Cobb County prosecutor who came to the AG's office in 2024 to lead and help with the launch of the new unit. 'It's not shoplifting. This is large-scale theft.' Ruffini declined to comment on the specifics of this case, citing the ongoing prosecution, but he said that it's very common for these types of organized crime rings to be connected to larger criminal organizations. 'It is seed money for human trafficking, as well as drugs, guns, and gangs,' he added. In Georgia alone, businesses are estimated to lose more than $3 billion to retail theft annually, according to the AG's office. It also includes $1.6 billion in stolen goods and $326 million in lost tax revenue, along with 17,000 lost jobs. Nationwide losses total over $125 billion, with nearly 76% of retailers reporting physical assault against an associate as a result of organized retail crime. 'Defrauding businesses in our community is unacceptable,' said State Rep. Brad Thomas, Chairman of the House Special Committee on Resource Management. 'I'm grateful to the Attorney General's Organized Retail Crime Unit for holding these bad actors accountable. Georgia is the No. 1 state to do business for a reason. We will not tolerate this behavior.'
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania man used stolen credit cards to buy $100k worth of items at Lowe's, AG says
(WHTM) — A man was able to allegedly make $100,000 worth of purchases at Lowe's stores across Pennsylvania by using stolen credit cards, the Attorney General said. Alex Rulan, 33, of Allentown, allegedly bought items such as air conditioners, flooring, and vacuums with the stolen bank cards, Attorney General Dave Sunday said Monday. 'This defendant systematically targeted consumers and stores across the Commonwealth to steal high-dollar goods,' Attorney General Sunday said in a statement. 'The diligent work of our Organized Retail Crime Unit has stopped another criminal enterprise from inflicting further harm on hard-working Pennsylvanians.' The fraudulent use was reported to investigators earlier this year. In over a dozen counties, Rulan stole about $96,000 worth of goods from 23 stores from June to December 2023, Sunday said. Sometimes, Rulan even provided fake identification to buy the items, Sunday said. Rulan faces charges of corrupt organizations, organized retail theft, criminal conspiracy, identity theft, and related offenses. He is currently at Montgomery County Jail. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Sunday said the investigation is ongoing. Senior Deputy Attorney General Philip M. McCarthy is prosecuting the case. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
