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Manhattan DA: Thieves busted after stealing 25K pounds of cheese, $4.5M in wholesale goods
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Jun 3, 2026
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Manhattan District Attorney's Office
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Jun 3, 2026
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Eight people are facing charges for impersonating shipping companies and stealing millions of dollars' worth of wholesale goods they sold on the black market across the country, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Bragg announced the bust on Wednesday afternoon, calling it a coordinated effort among multiple agencies, including the NYPD and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, that spanned from October 2025 to April 2026.
The thieves allegedly coordinated with hackers and used phishing scams to impersonate real shipping companies, making bids to pick up their orders and showing up in trucks at logistics sites in Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Jersey with fake logos and registrations, Bragg said.
But instead of delivering the goods, the defendants allegedly diverted them to New York City to sell on the black market.
The pilfered items included beef, lamb, copper, cigarettes and about 25,000 pounds of cheese, adding up to a total of $4.5 million, according to prosecutors.
The victims — the owners of the goods and the legitimate shipping companies — had no idea the thefts were happening, Bragg said, and will struggle to recover financially.
But he added that every day New Yorkers and residents of other states the goods never reached may have also felt the pain.
“When food orders go missing and shelves are empty, prices go up,” Bragg said.
The law enforcement agencies involved in the bust are continuing to investigate similar rings.
Bragg said business owners should look out for phishing emails and hacking, which he called a “really concerning” facet of this case.
At least some of the defendants are scheduled to be arraigned in Manhattan on Wednesday afternoon. All eight are charged with one count of conspiracy in the fourth degree and varying counts of grand larceny in the second degree. Other charges in the indictment include grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.
Information for their lawyers was not immediately available.
Tagged
economy
public safety
transportation
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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