• Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Money Rise Today – Investing and Stock News
  • Investing
  • Stock
Stock

Armenian organized crime rings charged with stealing $83 million in Amazon cargo

by May 22, 2025
written by May 22, 2025

Department of Justice officials on Tuesday charged members or associates of an Armenian organized crime ring with stealing more than $83 million worth of cargo from Amazon by posing as legitimate truck drivers and siphoning off goods destined for the company’s warehouses.

Since at least 2021, at least four people linked to the crime ring carried out a scheme across California to steal truckloads of merchandise, ranging from smart TVs and GE icemakers to SharkNinja vacuums and air fryers, the DOJ alleged.

“At present, Amazon is plagued by recurring thefts of its shipments, which is commonly referred to as ‘cargo theft,’” the complaint says.

Amazon has ramped up its efforts to track and shut down fraudulent, deceptive and illegal activities on its sprawling online store. Eliminating stolen goods is particularly challenging. CNBC reported in 2023 that Amazon suspended dozens of third-party merchants it alleged were selling stolen goods, though many of those sellers claimed they were unknowingly caught in the scheme, putting their businesses at risk of survival.

Amazon isn’t the only retailer afflicted by cargo theft. Experts told CNBC cargo theft-related losses are estimated at close to $1 billion or more a year.

In its complaint, the DOJ said the alleged fraudsters operated four transport carriers — AK Transportation, NBA Holdings, Belman Transport and Markos Transportation — that would obtain contracted freight routes from Amazon Relay, an application used by truckers to obtain work, also referred to as loads.

Each trucker is assigned a load for pickup from a manufacturer’s warehouse to be dropped off at an Amazon facility. Instead, the groups would divert from their designated routes, take a portion of the goods off the trucks and resell them or gift them to associates, prosecutors allege.

In some cases, the “self-styled carriers” would complete their deliveries at an Amazon warehouse several days after they were expected to show up, according to the complaint.

DOJ officials seized the alleged fraudsters’ iPhones and found photos and videos of warehouses lined with boxes of crockpots, Keurig coffee machines, keratin shampoo, Weber grills and other goods.

Amazon teams cooperated with DOJ officials in their investigation, including sharing information about the stolen goods, and details of the alleged fraudsters’ accounts on its online marketplace.

An Amazon spokesperson said in a statement that the company has “zero tolerance” for cargo theft and other forms of organized retail crime. Amazon relies on a mix of internal teams and technologies to prevent ORC schemes. The company has also referred “thousands” of ORC bad actors to law enforcement officials.

“These referrals have resulted in arrests, product seizures and recoveries, and the dismantling of ORC networks in the U.S. and around the world,” they said in a statement.

DOJ officials linked the defendants to a litany of other alleged crimes, including attempted murder, kidnapping, illegal firearm possession and health-care fraud. Several of the 13 defendants are expected to appear in a Los Angeles district court on Tuesday and Wednesday, while one of the defendants appeared in a court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Tuesday and was detained.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
0 comment
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

previous post
New book exposes how top Biden comms staffer was ‘tip of the spear’ covering up Biden’s cognitive decline
next post
Republicans look to stop China’s ‘backdoor’ tariff dodging scheme

related articles

YouTube to pay $24 million to settle Trump...

October 1, 2025

Charlie Javice sentenced to 7 years in prison...

October 1, 2025

Video game maker Electronic Arts to be acquired...

October 1, 2025

Nearly 200,000 BMWs recalled over potential fire risk

September 30, 2025

Trump says U.S. will impose new tariffs on...

September 29, 2025

Former Fed chairs warn that removing Lisa Cook...

September 27, 2025

Amazon to pay $2.5 billion to settle FTC...

September 27, 2025

The charm of watching movies in theaters is...

September 25, 2025

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder resigns, claiming parent company...

September 18, 2025

LimeWire acquires Fyre Festival, asking ‘What Could Possibly...

September 17, 2025
Enter Your Information Below To Receive Free Trading Ideas, Latest News, And Articles.


Your information is secure and your privacy is protected. By opting in you agree to receive emails from us. Remember that you can opt-out any time, we hate spam too!

Latest News

  • Netanyahu to meet Trump as Israeli leader looks to rekindle relationship

    July 26, 2024
  • Trump names Dean John Sauer as US solicitor general

    November 15, 2024
  • ‘Breathtaking speed’: Trump’s Paris trip marks return to global stage as leaders turn ‘the page’ on Biden

    December 7, 2024
  • Biden struggles with words, key memories in leaked audio from Special Counsel Hur interview

    May 17, 2025
  • Rubio-run State Department dumps Biden-era DEI hiring criteria, replaces with ‘fidelity’

    July 3, 2025

Popular Posts

  • 1

    Secret Service admits leaning on ‘state and local partners’ after claim it ignored Trump team’s past requests

    July 21, 2024
  • 2

    Five more House Democrats call on Biden to drop out, third US senator

    July 19, 2024
  • 3

    Elon and Vivek should tackle US funding for this boondoogle organization and score a multimillion dollar win

    December 4, 2024
  • 4

    Forex Profit Calculator: Maximize Your Trading Potential

    July 10, 2024
  • 5

    Biden calls to ‘lower the temperature’ then bashes Trump in NAACP speech

    July 17, 2024

Categories

  • Economy (829)
  • Editor's Pick (6,247)
  • Investing (634)
  • Stock (935)

Latest Posts

  • Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu completes prostate surgery after UTI diagnosis

    December 30, 2024
  • Trump administration prevails as appeals court pauses lower court decision blocking contested tariffs

    June 11, 2025
  • Vance’s active VP role is a historical rarity, ‘huge asset’ to US, says top GOP ally

    April 2, 2025

Recent Posts

  • Lego is reinventing its iconic brick sets and keeping the toy industry afloat

    December 24, 2024
  • House Ethics Committee to meet with vote on releasing Gaetz report looming

    December 5, 2024
  • Trump hiring freeze prompts DOJ to pull job offers in AG’s honors program: report

    January 24, 2025

Editor’s Pick

  • Comcast announces plan to spin off cable channels, including MSNBC, CNBC and USA

    November 20, 2024
  • Biden congratulates Trump, pledges ‘peaceful and orderly’ transfer of power

    November 7, 2024
  • Kash Patel’s nomination sparks enthusiasm, anxiety; future of the FBI appears uncertain

    December 1, 2024
  • About us
  • Contacts
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Disclaimer: moneyrisetoday.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

Copyright © 2025 moneyrisetoday.com | All Rights Reserved

Money Rise Today – Investing and Stock News
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Money Rise Today – Investing and Stock News
  • Investing
  • Stock