California man led $38M catalytic converter theft ring, lived lavishly off stolen parts
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.'
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