Fraud Related Press Releases

Family Charged in $7.6 Million Bottle-and-Can Recycling Scheme

OAKLAND – Eight family members who run recycling centers in Riverside County face felony charges in connection to a $7.6 million, multi-state recycling fraud investigation. Agents believe the suspects illegally smuggled 178 tons of empty beverage containers from Arizona into Riverside County to defraud California’s Beverage Container Recycling Program

2 New Arrests in $10 Million, Interstate Recycling Fraud Case

LOS ANGELES – Two Arizona business owners arrested this morning for recycling fraud and grand theft face extradition to California as part of the California Department of Justice’s ongoing investigation of a recycling fraud plan to defraud California’s beverage container recycling program. Agents believe the suspects were part of a ring that brought more than nine tons of empty beverage containers from Arizona to Los Angeles for fraudulent redemption.

Agents break up suspected $10 million Arizona-to-California bottle and can recycling fraud scheme

Six people face felony recycling fraud and grand theft charges connected to a suspected multi-state scheme to defraud California’s Beverage Container Recycling Program. Investigators believe the suspects illegally smuggled over nine tons of empty bottles and cans from Arizona to the Los Angeles area to fraudulently redeem recycling deposits. Since consumers outside of California do not pay California Redemption Value (CRV) deposits on beverage purchases, those containers are not eligible for CRV redemption.

Recycling Company to Pay $34 Million for Multi-year Bottle and Can Smuggling Scheme

SACRAMENTO–Recycling Services Alliance, Inc. (RSA) and its operations manager will pay over $34 million for illegally filing claims for California Refund Value (CRV) based on thousands of fabricated weight tickets. The felony convictions for recycling fraud, forging/falsifying public documents and perjury are the result of plea agreements just approved by Sacramento Superior Court. The criminal judgment for RSA is $33 million restitution to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), plus a $1 million criminal fine.

California Cracks Suspected Bottle and Can Recycling Fraud Ring

SACRAMENTO—California agents arrested nine suspects in a move to dismantle an organized recycling fraud ring that stretched from Phoenix to Los Angeles. The multi-state network of buyers, sellers, baggers, loaders and drivers are believed to be responsible for smuggling semi-truck loads of ineligible out-of-state containers into the state for fraudulent redemption at multiple Southern California recycling centers.

11 Arrested in $2 Million Recycling Fraud Scheme

SACRAMENTO–Following a four-month investigation, California has successfully disrupted a multi-million dollar recycling fraud operation that stretched from Nevada and Arizona to Los Angeles County. The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) joined the California Department of Justice to announce the arrest of a Pacoima, Calif., recycling center operator and 10 additional suspects on charges of felony recycling fraud, conspiracy, and grand theft.

10 Arrested in Multi-State Recycling Fraud Schemes

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery is announcing the arrests of 10 suspects accused of smuggling out-of-state beverage containers into California to defraud the state’s California Redemption Value fund. The recycling fraud schemes include an alleged three-year criminal enterprise involving the mass shipment of empty beverage containers from Las Vegas to 12 Los Angeles-area recycling centers.

Border Checkpoints Put the Brakes on Recycling Fraud Schemes

SACRAMENTO–The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery is announcing the arrests of two drivers on charges of felony recycling fraud, attempted grand theft, and conspiracy following stings at temporary border checkpoints in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The suspects are accused of trying to smuggle more than 8,000 pounds of empty beverage containers from Arizona and Nevada into California in an attempt to defraud the California Redemption Value fund.

Archived Press Releases

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Press Contacts

Maria West, Communications Director
Office of Public Affairs

Supervisor
Lance Klug
(916) 341-6293
opa@calrecycle.ca.gov

 

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For more information contact, the Office of Public Affairs, opa@calrecycle.ca.gov