United States of America v. Tianzhu Chen, Yong Chen

Des Moines, Iowa, criminal defense lawyers represented the Defendants charged with engaging in a racketeering conspuiracy in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1962, interstate transportation of stolen property in violation of 12 U,.S.C. 2314.

Tianzhu Chen, 33, of Flushing, New York, and a Chinese National, pleadd guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy and Money Laundering and Yong Chen, 33, of Brooklyn, New York and a Chinese National, sold the stolen used cooking oil, which was transported across state lines, and proceeds were laundered.

Ninteen Defendants were charged with charges involving the theft of used cooking oil, which can be refined into biodiesel fuel and re-sold. Defendants drove trucks to restaurants and stole and attempted to steal used cooking oil from oil collection tanks located at restaurants throughout Iowa, Tennessee, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kentucky. Defendants then collected the stolen used cooking oil to warehouses throughout the United States including:

Nevada and Ankeny, Iowa;
Lewisburg, Tennessee;
Dora, Alabama; and
Tipp City, Ohio;
Decatur, Illinois

Defendants subsequently sold the stolen used cooking oil, which was transported across state lines, and proceeds were laundered.

Tianzhu Chen and Yong Chen elected to plead guilty.