Two Indian nationals convicted in US cargo theft scheme involving $2 million freight fraud
Los Angeles, Oct 1 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Two Indian nationals have been found guilty by a jury in the United States for their role in a cargo theft conspiracy that involved fraudulently obtaining shipping contracts, stealing freight worth millions of dollars and failing to deliver the consignments to their intended destinations, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Arshpreet Singh, 28, of Sacramento, and Vikramjeet Singh, 31, of Fontana, were convicted after a seven-day trial of participating in a scheme that targeted warehouses and shippers across Southern California and other parts of the United States.
The jury found both men guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit theft from interstate or foreign shipments. Arshpreet Singh was also convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Vikramjeet Singh was acquitted of the wire fraud conspiracy charge.
According to evidence presented during the trial, Arshpreet Singh and his co-conspirators operated the scheme between March 2024 and June 2025 by purchasing or fraudulently using legitimate trucking companies to bid for authentic freight contracts.
After securing the contracts, the conspirators allegedly took possession of cargo shipments but failed to deliver them to their destinations, instead stealing the goods.
Prosecutors said the stolen freight largely consisted of high-value consumer products, including televisions, laptops, household appliances and other electronics. Other items stolen during the conspiracy included vacuum cleaners, LED lights, footwear and tyres.
Authorities estimated losses resulting from the thefts at no less than $2 million.
The thefts were carried out across multiple locations in Southern California, including Fontana, Vernon, Santa Fe Springs, Perris, City of Industry, Long Beach, Compton, Commerce, Pico Rivera, Chino and Moreno Valley. Investigators also linked the scheme to activity in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Court records showed that the accused acquired established trucking companies to facilitate the operation.
In one instance cited during the trial, Arshpreet Singh met in March 2024 with the owner of Texas-based carrier Z&F Transportation LLC and agreed to purchase the company for approximately $22,000.
Later that month, a co-conspirator acting on behalf of Z&F Transportation LLC collected a shipment of televisions in Fontana. The cargo was never delivered to its intended destination in Florida.
Prosecutors further alleged that in May 2024, co-conspirators purchased another carrier company, Skyways Trucking LLC, and subsequently used it to steal shipments that included laptops, televisions, solar panels and other merchandise.
The conspirators allegedly booked freight loads through brokers, including Uber Freight, collected the consignments and then failed to transport them to the customers.
United States District Judge Anne Hwang has scheduled sentencing hearings for January 20, 2027.
Arshpreet Singh faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, while Vikramjeet Singh faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Inland Violent Crime Suppression Task Force, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Fontana Police Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Fort Worth Police Department in Texas.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen Chang of the Transnational Organised Crime Section and Lloyd Masson of the General Crimes Section.
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