An American criminal organization stole $8 million worth of goods and sold them through Amazon!

Recently, an organized female criminal gang was arrested by California police, who said they had established an "empire."

Michelle Mack , a 53 -year-old woman , is not only a mother of three children, but also the head of a criminal organization.

According to California authorities, Michelle Mack organized and instructed 12 female suspects, initially referred to by investigators as the " California Girls " and later as "queenpin , " to steal nearly $8 million worth of cosmetics from U.S. department store chains such as Ulta, TJ Maxx and Walgreens.

The criminal gang's footprints spread across 10 states, including California, Texas, Florida and Ohio . According to investigators, Michelle Mack was responsible for selecting target stores and target products , and then asked members of the organization to "clear" the entire shelf of goods and put them in bags to take away. Michelle Mack paid for the plane tickets, car rental fees and other expenses incurred by the organization members during the theft .

The stolen merchandise would be sold to unsuspecting consumers through Amazon by Michelle Mack at prices below normal retail prices, and according to investigators, the gang has made millions of dollars.

Foreign media reports mentioned that Michelle Mack 's gang was the most complex case tracked by the police. Unlike other cases, other organizations carried out high-profile looting, while Mack 's criminal organization carried out thefts quickly, efficiently, and quietly; other organizations resold the stolen goods at flea markets, while "queenpin" put things on Amazon and sold them online.

Of course, "queenpin" is just one example of a "high-level" criminal gang. According to federal agents from the Homeland Security Investigations, the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, some criminal gangs are even more complex, with theft being just one module of the organization; others have their own fleet of trucks, including 18-wheelers.

These various criminal gangs have become a nightmare for all retailers in the United States. The National Retail Federation estimates that retailers will lose $40.5 billion in 2022 due to external theft (including organized retail crime). This figure accounts for about 36% of total inventory losses , but is slightly lower than 37% in 2021.

Target, Foot Locker, and Ulta have also said in recent years that theft has become a growing problem , but have generally not announced how much they have lost, leading some experts and analysts to believe that these retailers are trying to cover up operational mistakes.

In addition to causing losses to retailers, these actions also pose a threat to the safety of store employees and shoppers. Ulta CEO Dave Kimbell said in an interview that the economic impact is visible, but more importantly, it is the impact on people, including our employees and customers.

Amazon

Thieves gang

Selling stolen goods