George Thomas, Catalytic Converter Theft, California 2022

A federal grand jury has indicted George Thomas, 70, of Clovis, California, for selling thousands of stolen catalytic converters to a company in Oregon for over $2.5 million, and then withdrawing the proceeds from his bank accounts in increments under $10,000 to avoid federal reporting requirements, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

The indictment was unsealed today following Thomas's arrest in Fresno, California.

According to court records, between January 2021 and November 2022, Thomas purchased stolen catalytic converters from thieves in the Fresno area who cut the converters off people's vehicles.

The thieves called or texted Thomas to arrange the sales, and the sales occurred in parking lots and behind buildings during all hours of the day and night.

Thomas paid the thieves significantly below market rates and paid them in cash to conceal the source of the converters.

Thomas gave the thieves instructions on the types of catalytic converters that he was looking for and how to best cut the converters off of vehicles.

Thomas also helped some of the thieves buy new saws to use after the thieves' saws were confiscated by the police or were stolen.

Thomas took photographs of the thieves, and he required them to provide their identification cards and the Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) for the vehicles from which the catalytic converters were supposedly cut off.

Defendant:

George Thomas

Criminal Charges:

Selling stolen catalytic converters and money laundering

City and State:

Fresno, California

Arrest Date:

Unknown

Sentence:

Thomas faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Dollar Amounts:

$2.5 million

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/pr/fresno-area-man-arrested-operating-business-buy-and-sell-stolen-catalytic-converters