Pair Led $5.6M Retail Theft Ring Across Four Retailers

SEATTLE, Wash. — Two men who allegedly led a sophisticated retail theft ring that stole $5.6 million in merchandise from four online retailers will be arraigned on a three-count federal indictment in Seattle, prosecutors announced on November 12, 2026.

Read the U.S. Attorney's Office release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/pr/pair-who-led-retail-theft-conspiracy-be-arraigned-56-million-theft-four-retailers

Brian Vinh Pham, 29, of Arlington, Texas, and Romar Aragon Noto, 22, of North Hills, California, are scheduled for arraignment on November 13, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in U.S. District Court in Seattle, according to the release.

Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd announced the indictment, according to the release.

According to the indictment, between April 2023 and February 2026, Pham and Noto led a ring that transported stolen property across the country, including into the Western District of Washington, according to the release.

Fraudulent Refunds, Empty Return Boxes, And $3.2 Million Taken

The indictment alleges the group obtained more than $3.2 million worth of goods from four retailers by exploiting return policies and obtaining fraudulent refunds, according to the release.

Retailers paid refunds when return shipping labels were scanned, and the ring used tactics to show packages were shipped without actually returning the goods, according to the release.

During a five-month period, a home improvement retailer paid $124,000 in refunds for more than 200 expander tools, with return labels affixed to empty envelopes or boxes, according to the release.

The group sold expander tools on Amazon Marketplace for $96,000, according to the release.

Over a 10-month period, the co-conspirators obtained more than $162,000 in refunds for more than 350 tankless water heaters that were not returned, and about 297 of the heaters were sold on Amazon Marketplace for more than $181,000, according to the release.

In total, that victim was defrauded of more than 2,800 items valued at more than $1.4 million, according to the release.

A clothing retailer was defrauded of 15,000 pieces of clothing worth over $1 million, and another clothing retailer was defrauded of clothing worth $767,000 in about 900 orders, according to the release.

A Website Glitch, 55,000 Tumblers, And Warehouses In Two States

The group also targeted a manufacturer of insulated stainless-steel tumblers, which issued refunds totaling more than $53,000 for over 1,000 tumblers that were never returned, according to the release.

When that retailer's website had a glitch that canceled bulk orders but still fulfilled and shipped some canceled orders without payment, the group used Discord to coordinate placing more than 7,000 orders seeking more than 150,000 tumblers valued at about $6.5 million, according to the release.

The group obtained more than 55,000 tumblers worth approximately $2.4 million through 2,700 orders, according to the release.

Pham and Noto used warehouses in Texas and California to store the inventory before selling the tumblers on Amazon Marketplace, to third-party resellers and to wholesalers, according to the release.

The co-conspirators set up business entities and bank accounts to execute the scheme, and both men are charged with money laundering, according to the release.

Five Years, Ten Years, And A Seattle Arraignment

Conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property is punishable by up to five years in prison, according to the release.

Money laundering is punishable by up to ten years in prison, according to the release.

Prosecutors allege the defendants collected more than $3 million selling stolen goods to consumers, third-party resellers and wholesalers, according to the release.

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law, according to the release.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, according to the release.

Anyone with information about organized retail theft can contact the FBI through its local field offices or tip line.

Sources U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington — Official Press Release, November 12, 2026: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/pr/pair-who-led-retail-theft-conspiracy-be-arraigned-56-million-theft-four-retailers