Multiple Indicted on Charges of Theft and Re-Sale of Restaurant Cooking Oil

Summary

DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned a nine-count indictment on December 9, 2025, charging multiple individuals with charges 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, which can be refined into biodiesel fuel and re-sold. 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 cha...