8 Million Retail Theft Ring Leader facing 140 Felony Charges in San Diego; Gang was dubbed ‘California Girls”

San Jose, CA: A mother from California is facing charges brought by the state’s department of justice for allegedly leading a multi-state stealing ring that made off with hundreds of stores’ worth of apparel and cosmetics totaling millions of dollars over the course of ten years.

Allegedly, Michelle Mack was the ringleader of a large retail crime syndicate that stole luxury items and cosmetics valued at about $8 million.

A search warrant was issued on the Bonsall house of Michelle Mack, 53, and Kenneth Mack, 52, on December 6, 2023, and more than $300,000 worth of cosmetics and other items were discovered there, according to a complaint filed by Rob Bonta, the attorney general of California.

According to the allegations, Mack would allegedly hire as many as twelve ladies, pay for their lodging and transportation, and then send the stolen goods back to his house. According to the allegations, Mack would thereafter use her Amazon Marketplace business to sell the stolen goods at a discounted price.

Michelle Mack, 53, allegedly oversaw the vast company from her 4,500-square-foot estate in the San Diego mountains, which was valued at $2.75 million.

According to investigators, NBC San Diego stated that Mack allegedly had as many as twelve ladies steal from various businesses across the nation, hoard the trendy items, and then sell them on her Amazon storefront at a steep discount.

The “California Girls,” an accused criminal network that police say operated under Mack’s direction, allegedly committed hundreds of thefts across the state of California and ten others, including Florida, Massachusetts, Texas, and Ohio (CNBC).

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According to CNBC’s reporting from Homeland Security investigators, shops throughout the nation are facing a theft crisis that costs billions of dollars every year. Mack’s alleged criminal ring is just one of many.

The raid on Mack’s lavish Spanish-style mansion in December resulted in the recovery of approximately 10,000 items valued at more than $387,000, according to the authorities.

Inside Mack’s garage, they found what they called a “mini store” filled with luxury bags, sunglasses, and cosmetics. According to authorities, a large number of postmarked envelopes contained stolen merchandise that were prepared to be distributed to customers.

Kenneth Mack, Mack’s husband, and seven others were indicted on 140 counts of felony by California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Receiving stolen property, grand theft, and conspiring to commit organized retail theft are all crimes.

Nobody has admitted guilt; everyone has pleaded not guilty.