Seven Charged in San Francisco Retail Theft Ring

SEVEN Accused Of Orchestrating Organized Retail Theft In San Francisco

The grim streets of San Francisco have been roiled by a federal indictment charging seven defendants, including Weidong Liu, 33, Chen Shen, 37, and Weiqin Xu, 34, with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods, and trafficking in counterfeit goods. Three of the accused, all Chinese nationals, were collared yesterday.

The grand jury’s indictment, unsealed on Aug. 26, 2025, paints a picture of an elaborate year-long operation where genuine brand-name electronics like iPads and AirPods were pilfered from retail outlets in the Bay Area. These goods were then swapped for counterfeit versions, complete with original packaging and serial numbers that matched their stolen counterparts. The fakes were allegedly imported from China along with imitation stickers to dupe retailers into refunding the full purchase price.

The trio faced U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim today and are set to appear before Alex Tse on Sept. 3 for arraignment and detention hearing. Each faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine per fraud count, with additional penalties for counterfeiting charges.

U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian and HSI Acting Special Agent Jeffrey Brannigan broke the news, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Kassabian leads the prosecution with support from Andy Ding and Lance Libatique. The Northern California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigated and prosecuted this case as part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at dismantling transnational criminal organizations.

This isn’t just another theft ring; it’s a sophisticated operation that threatens the integrity of our retail landscape. Stay tuned for updates on this ongoing investigation.

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