California Thief Netted $2.7 Million Selling Stolen Catalytic Converters to Oregon Recycler

A 72-year-old California man was convicted yesterday of selling stolen catalytic converters worth more than $2.7 million to a metal recycling company in Oregon.

The sales occurred when George Thomas drove the stolen catalytic converters from California to a metal recycling company in Oregon that paid him $2.7 million by wire transfer.

Catalytic converters are devices in the exhausts of vehicles that reduce harmful gas emissions, converting them into water vapor, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen gas.

After His Arrest, Reports of Stolen Converters Dropped by 60%+ in the Fresno Area

The Fresno County District Court heard that after his arrest in April 2023, converter thefts dropped by more than 60% in the Fresno area where Thomas operated.

He Made 386 Cash Withdrawals of Less Than $10,000

After receiving wire transfer payments from the recycling company, Thomas made 386 cash withdrawals under $10,000, often at locations when traveling to or from Oregon.

Thomas was also convicted of ‘structuring’ – an illegal withdrawal system withdrawals of cash amounts less than $10,000 to avoid the threshold at which banks are required by law to report the transactions.

He Paid a Group of Thieves to Steal the Converters

According to evidence, Thomas paid a group of thieves in Fresno to steal the catalytic converters between January 2021 and November 2022. The exchange of money and goods occurred at motel parking lots and gas stations and at different times of the day and night.

Evidence was that Thomas instructed thieves on what converters he was looking for and instructions on how to cut them off vehicles. Thomas loaned money to the thieves to pay for motel rooms, saws, and bail, provided they continued to steal for him.

Evidence showed that Thomas remained active after police served him a warrant to search his home in mid-2021. He continued to pay the thieves cash for the stolen converters at the same venues.

Sentencing is scheduled for 11 September 2025, when Thomas faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years imprisonment and fines of $250,000 for each conviction.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the Fresno Police Department, and the Clovis Police Department. Prosecuting the case were Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Justin Gilio.