Another day, another example of rampant criminal behavior in the Golden State.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has announced that a massive retail theft scheme has been uncovered, and the alleged mastermind is none other than a suburban California mom.
Michelle Mack, a 53-year-old resident of Bonsall, has been accused of orchestrating a nationwide shoplifting operation that stole millions of dollars worth of makeup and clothing from hundreds of stores over the course of a decade.
And like any good ringleader, Mack didn’t do it alone. She employed a group of up to a dozen women, dubbed the “California Girls,” to do her dirty work for her.
Mack allegedly footed the bill for airfare, hotels, and rental cars for her gang of thieves, who were sent out to steal from various retailers, including Sephora, Ulta, Macy’s, and more.
However, Mack wasn’t content with just selling the stolen goods on the black market. No, she had bigger aspirations. She set up shop on the popular online marketplace, Amazon, and sold the stolen products at a discounted rate, raking in even more cash.
But Mack’s scheme didn’t go unnoticed. After a tip from an observant store employee, the California Department of Justice launched an investigation and uncovered the elaborate operation.
The evidence was damning, with over $300,000 worth of makeup and other stolen products found in Mack’s garage. And that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Police also found a “mini store” inside Mack’s garage, stocked with designer bags, sunglasses, and other luxury items, all suspected to be stolen. Hundreds of envelopes, filled with products ready to be shipped to Mack’s customers, were also discovered, revealing the extent of the operation.
And it’s not just Mack who has been implicated in this organized crime ring. Her husband Kenneth, along with seven others, has been charged with 140 felony counts, including conspiracy to commit organized retail theft, grand theft, and receipt of stolen property.
LOOTERS: Glamorous millionaire ‘queenpin’, Michelle Mack, 53, her husband Kenneth is accused of running crime ring of 12 women called ‘Cali Girls’ who stole $8M in cosmetics and designer clothes, storing them in 4,500 sq ft mansion & selling them on Amazon https://t.co/3eSRB8ALu9
— Blue Lives Matter 💎 (@RetiredNYCPD) March 13, 2024
This is not your average case of petty shoplifting. This is a multi-million dollar criminal enterprise operating under the nose of California authorities for over a decade. And Attorney General Bonta is not taking it lightly. He has issued a stern warning to other criminals, “If you try to make an easy buck off of other people’s hard work, we will arrest you and prosecute you.”
US: Michelle Mack, a wealthy California mother of three has been accused of masterminding an organized crime ring dubbed ‘California Girls,’ that stole nearly $8 million worth of makeup from stores l and then resold it online to make a profit. pic.twitter.com/pI3QNep4an
— Apex World News (@apexworldnews) March 14, 2024
Unfortunately, this type of organized retail theft is rising, affecting retailers, consumers, and entire communities. These criminals not only jeopardize the safety of store employees and customers.
As for Mack and her accomplices, they have all pleaded not guilty.
