Multiple Chinese nationals indicted on charges related to UCO theft, resale

A federal grand jury in Des Moines, Iowa, returned a nine-count indictment Dec. 9 charging multiple individuals with alleged crimes related to a racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit the offense of interstate transportation of stolen property, and money laundering.

As alleged in the indictment, the charged defendants committed thefts of used cooking oil (UCO), which can be refined into biodiesel fuel and resold.

Defendants drove trucks to restaurants and stole and attempted to steal cooking oil from oil-collection tanks located at restaurants throughout Iowa and in Tennessee, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri and Kentucky.

Defendants then transported the stolen cooking oil to warehouses in Nevada and Ankeny, Iowa; Lewisburg, Tennessee; Dora, Alabama; and Tipp City, Ohio.

Defendants subsequently sold the stolen cooking oil and laundered the proceeds.

The following individuals are charged in the indictment:

• Tianzhu Chen, 33, of Flushing, New York, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property, and two counts of money laundering.

• Jingliu Chen, 55, of Flushing, New York, is charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate.

• Yong Chen, 32, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, and two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property.

• Xian Quan Guo, 48, of Des Moines, Iowa, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate.

• Jianfa Huang, 40, of Des Moines, Iowa, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, and interstate transportation of stolen property.

• Fukang Wang, 37, of Staten Island, New York, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate.

• Futao Wang, 36, of Des Moines, Iowa, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, and interstate transportation of stolen property.

• Jie Wang, 30, of Dayton, Ohio, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate.

• Xiangjing Wang, 34, of Des Moines, Iowa, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, and two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property.

• Danrong Zhang, 38, of Flushing, New York, is charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate and money laundering.

• Changxu Zou, 41, of Tulia, Texas, is charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate.

• Changyu Zou, 38, of Edmond, Oklahoma, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate.

• Wenrong Zou, 32, of Edmond, Oklahoma, is charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate.

In connection with the case, federal search warrants and arrest warrants were executed Dec. 11 in Iowa, Ohio, New York, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Texas.

Xian Quan Guo, Jianfa Huang, Futao Wang, and Xiangjing Wang made their initial court appearances Dec. 11 before a magistrate judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.

Trial was set for Feb. 2.

The remaining defendants will make their initial court appearances in the Southern District of Iowa on later dates.