Related Federal Cases
Fresno Man Guilty of $5M Canola Theft Scheme
Shawn Sawa, 47, formerly of Clovis, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in stealing millions of dollars’ worth of canola from international food processors.
According to court documents, from 2015 through 2017, Sawa and Richard Best stole $4.8 million worth of canola from the food processors. They then sold the canola for a windfall.
Sawa and Best carried out the scheme through Best’s now defunct train-to-truck transloading company, Richard Best Transfer Inc. (RBT). A transloading company transfers commodities from one mode of transportation to another mode.
The victim food processors sent hundreds of thousands of tons of their canola to RBT for delivery to their customers. Sawa was the manager of a victim food processor’s branch office in Fresno and had a close relationship with Best.
Sawa and Best sold the stolen canola through an acquaintance in Texas who used to work in the livestock-feed industry. The acquaintance sold the stolen canola to farms and dairies and distributed the proceeds according to Best’s instructions.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
Sawa is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Sawa faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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