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Twenty-one defendants were charged for their roles in the conspiracy in two separate indictments that were unsealed on Wednesday, Nov. 2, according to the United States Department of Justice.
The charges came after arrests, searches, and seizures across various states, including New York, New Jersey, Oklahoma, California, and more, officials said.
In one of the indictments, a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Oklahoma charged 13 individuals with conspiracy to receive stolen catalytic converters, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other related charges, the Department of Justice said.
According to the report, 26-year-old Adam Sharkey, of West Islip, and 57-year-old Robert Gary Sharkey, of Babylon, are among the 13 defendants who are facing the charges.
Investigators found that the defendants bought stolen catalytic converters from thieves and resold and shipped them to DG Auto in New Jersey for processing, officials said.
Officials reported that Adam Sharkey received more than $45 million in wired funds from DG Auto.
“Amidst a rise in catalytic converter thefts across the country, the Justice Department has today carried out an operation arresting 21 defendants and executing 32 search warrants in a nationwide takedown of a multimillion-dollar catalytic converter theft network,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said. “We will continue to work alongside our state and local partners to disrupt criminal conspiracies like this one that target the American people.”
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