Two Amazon drivers were reportedly involved in a $10 million theft ring that moved stolen goods from the website for nearly 6 years, according to the FBI.
via Complex:
The two drivers are alleged to be part of a larger ring of shoplifters and thieves who brought their stolen goods to 2 Washington pawn shops in Kent and Renton. The goods were purchased by the shops and shipped to Amazon warehouses, where they could be purchased by users of the platform. FBI agent Ariana Kroshinsky wrote in an affidavit that the two shops were able to sell millions of dollars in stolen property this way, including $30,000 worth of material stolen by one of the Amazon drivers in less than 6 months. It was the frequent activity in the pawn shop’s ledgers that led to the initial investigation.
Kroshinsky said that the two drivers were charged with moving Amazon packages from the Seattle-Tacoma Airport, both to Amazon’s nearby warehouse and post offices in the area. However, she alleges that they stole the packages and sold them to the two shops. Another driver named Abbas Zghair, is accused of stealing more than $100,000 worth of Amazon shipments, according to company officials who spoke with the FBI. Altogether, over 48,000 items were stolen over the course of the ring’s six-year run.
The alleged ringleader, Aleksandr Pavlovskiy, had his home raided by agents and both of the pawn shops have been similarly searched. No charges have been filed in the case.
$10 million? That’s a lot of stolen items.
