Cargo Theft Ring Stole $10 Million in Goods Across the U.S

Eight individuals have been charged for their alleged involvement in an international cargo theft ring organized by commercial trucking operators. On June 30, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton and James C. Barnacle Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) New York Field Office, announced the unsealing of the indictment against the eight defendants.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said the defendants were part of a sophisticated international criminal organization whose members stole millions of dollars’ worth of goods and sold the stolen merchandise on the black market.

“Organized cargo theft is an attack on the integrity of our nation’s commercial supply chain and, more broadly, on our markets. Those who conspire to disrupt commerce and harm consumers will face a coordinated law enforcement response. Our Office is committed to rooting organized crime out of our supply chains, and we will prosecute those who exploit global trade for illicit gain,” Clayton said.

$10 Million Stolen by International Cargo Theft Ring

The case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Grossinger and David Steinbach are leading the prosecution.

The following defendants have been charged with conspiracy to transport and possess stolen goods, an offense carrying a maximum sentence of five years in prison:

• Vagan Gulian, 37, of Glendale, California
• Zhirayr Gumruyan, 36, of Northridge, California
• Sevak Kocharian, 37, of Brooklyn, New York
• Araik Setrakian, 36, of Los Angeles, California
• Vitaly Koshelan, 56, of Dania Beach, Florida
• Arkadiy Pastin, of Brooklyn, New York
• Jashanpreet Singh, 29, of Oaklyn, New Jersey
• Edgar Bezhanian, 46, of Yerevan, Armenia

Seven of the eight defendants are currently in custody, while Bezhanian remains at large. Kocharian has also been separately charged with conspiracy to commit extortion, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

According to the indictment, from approximately March 2023 to the present, the defendants, together with others whose identities have not been disclosed, carried out a large-scale organized scheme to steal cargo from commercial carriers. In total, the thefts involved merchandise valued at no less than $10 million, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

Authorities said the group operated throughout the United States, targeting high-value shipments that included electronics, liquor, meat, fish, eggs, clothing, skincare products, cryptocurrency mining equipment, and a variety of other goods.

Diversion Scheme: How the Cargo Theft Ring Operated

The cargo theft operation involved a coordinated scheme to divert, possess, transport, and sell numerous shipments of stolen merchandise. According to the indictment, the defendants worked with at least one overseas coordinator, as well as facilitators, drivers, and workers based in the United States.

According to authorities, at least one member of the group fraudulently posed as a legitimate motor carrier or supply chain company to obtain freight transportation contracts between shippers and customers. Meanwhile, the remaining members of the organization were responsible for picking up the cargo or diverting the truck transporting it before it reached its intended destination.

To carry out the fraud, the defendants allegedly used a variety of techniques, including altering delivery addresses and other shipping documentation, as well as removing GPS tracking devices attached to the cargo. These tactics allowed them to take possession of the shipments without raising suspicion.

Once the truck arrived at the destination designated by the organization, members of the theft ring unloaded and sold the stolen merchandise.