A San Diego County woman has been charged with orchestrating an alleged multimillion-dollar retail crime ring that stole and resold more than $8 million in beauty products across the country, officials announced Friday.
The investigation began with more than 230 reported thefts at Ulta Beauty stores across Southern California Investigators determined the woman had recruited a team of thieves — many of whom were young women — to loot Ulta and other retail locations so she could fence the stolen merchandise on her Amazon storefront for cheap, according to state officials. She then paid her accomplices with a slice of the profits, officials said.
The operation allegedly went on for years.
Investigators ultimately filed more than 140 felony charges, including organized retail theft, conspiracy and 136 counts of grand theft against nine defendants linked to the operation. Officials didn’t say when the charges were filed, and none of the suspects were named, including the accused ringleader. It’s unclear if anyone was arrested. The Attorney General’s Office did not respond when asked for details or provide a copy of the criminal complaint.
At a news conference on the charges at the California Highway Patrol station in Serra Mesa, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said although the actions of the woman and her co-conspirators were egregious, these kinds of operations aren’t unique or isolated.
“Organized retail crime has significant financial and safety implications for businesses, retailers, and consumers,” Bonta said in a statement. “Today, we are addressing an audacious instance of organized retail theft and making it clear that such criminal activity will not be accepted in California.”
State officials said the woman’s scheme targeted two of the nation’s most popular beauty store chains — Sephora and Ulta — but that other retail locations, including Sunglass Hut, Bath & Body Works and Victoria’s Secret, were hit. The…
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