LAX Leader

Law enforcement today arrested six defendants charged in a 46-count indictment alleging a Santa Clarita Valley man facilitated a crime tourism group of South Americans and other individuals who engaged in burglaries, thefts, and other crimes throughout the United States, then laundered millions of dollars in illicit proceeds.

The indictment, returned on August 1 and unsealed today, charges seven defendants with multiple felony offenses, including wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy, and structuring transactions to avoid federal financial reporting requirements.

Crime tourism theft groups are comprised of individuals often originating from outside of the United States, including from South America and elsewhere. These individuals engage in burglaries, thefts, and other crimes throughout the U.S. The fruits of these thefts were often shared with facilitators and co-conspirators who assisted the crime tourists both inside and outside the United States.

“Crime tourism is a major problem impacting not just Southern California but our entire nation,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “These defendants facilitated and directed crime tourists who committed hundreds of robberies across the country – in essence, they acted as quarterbacks for a team of thieves. We will continue to work with our local partners to hold accountable those who would come to our country and take advantage of our liberties to steal from the American people.”

“Today we dismantled a non-traditional facilitator of organized crime, and now we have a blueprint for future investigations,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “We hope these arrests will discourage future businesses from conducting similar operations, thus reducing the number of thefts and burglaries in our communities.”

“This investigation required years of hard work and dedication on behalf of the Los Angeles Police Department and our partners,” said LAPD Chief Dominic Choi. “I’m pleased that our collective efforts have resulted in the apprehension of these career criminals who have made it their business to victimize our residents and facilitate the movement of foreign criminals. I’m convinced that having them off the streets makes our communities safer.”

According to the indictment, Juan Carlos Thola-Duran (57), also known as “Parcero,” from Canyon Country; his live-in girlfriend Ana Maria Arriagada (41), also known as “Parcera”; controlled Driver Power Rentals (DPR), a Van Nuys-based car rental or dealership business. Arriagada was DPR’s registered owner.

From at least January 2018 to July 2024, Thola-Duran directed associates—often members of crime tourism theft groups traveling from South America—to travel across various parts of the United States to commit thefts including shoplifting goods from stores, burglarizing residences and commercial businesses, and stealing victims’ credit cards and debit cards.

Thola-Duran, Arriagada, and DPR provided vehicles for co-conspirators to drive throughout the United States to commit thefts. To make car rentals appear legitimate while maintaining anonymity they required false identification when renting vehicles for DPR's records.

Thola-Duran directed co-conspirators who stole credit or debit cards to immediately use them at stores such as Target, Best Buy, The Home Depot among others before stolen cards could be frozen or canceled.

Thola-Duran arranged for thieves to deliver stolen goods either directly or via mail through FedEx stores. He then acted as a "fence," buying goods at fractions below retail value before reselling them for approximately $5.5 million over course conspiracy—$5.1 million sent into various bank accounts controlled by conspirators.

Defendants allegedly used ill-gotten gains purchasing real estate horses structuring cash withdrawals avoiding triggering banks' $10k transaction report requirement U.S Treasury Department

Indictment further alleges Thola-Duran Arriagada conspired fraudulently obtain $274998 COVID-19 business relief loans May 2020 June 2021

"Since 2019 we've arrested over 130 suspects responsible perpetrating these crimes vast majority using cars supplied Driver Power Rentals," Ventura County Sheriff James Fryhoff "Our efforts aren’t stopping there formally partnered FBI creating Ventura County Major Theft Task Force instrumental pursuing federal charges against Thola-Duran criminal organization."

"Driver Power Rentals provided cars allegedly used taking high-end merchandise jewelry Ventura County homeowners," Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko "Taking down key operator fueling crime tourism essential neighborhood safety grateful U.S Attorney Estrada aggressively prosecuting network."

“These criminals ran burglary operation sophistication rivals Amazon instead dispatching delivery drivers dispatching trained thieves Southern California steal homes” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer "Crime doesn’t pay Orange County engaging crime tourism notice my office work local federal partners demanding accountability bringing those victimizing community justice"

An indictment merely an allegation All defendants presumed innocent proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt court law

If convicted defendants face statutory maximum sentence twenty years federal prison each wire fraud money laundering-related count ten years structuring count five years conspiracy transport stolen property interstate count

FBI Los Angeles Police Department Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Orange County District Attorney’s Office investigating matter United States Postal Inspection Service Meriwether County Georgia Sheriff’s Office Scottsdale Arizona Police Department providing assistance

Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Chou Lindsay M Bailey Violent Organized Crime Section Assistant United States Attorney Ryan J Waters Asset Forfeiture Recovery Section prosecuting case

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