AI Generated Summary
- Two men of Punjabi origin have been convicted by a federal jury in the United States for their involvement in an organised cargo theft operation that caused losses estimated at more than $2 million across Southern California and Texas.
- Arshpreet Singh, 28, of Sacramento, and Vikramjeet Singh, 31, of Fontana, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit theft from interstate or foreign shipments following a seven-day trial, according to details released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
- Federal prosecutors said the operation continued from March 2024 to June 2025, during which the accused and their associates acquired established trucking companies or fraudulently used their credentials to obtain genuine freight transportation contracts.
The accused allegedly used established trucking companies to secure legitimate freight contracts before diverting shipments of electronics and other valuable goods.
Two men of Punjabi origin have been convicted by a federal jury in the United States for their involvement in an organised cargo theft operation that caused losses estimated at more than $2 million across Southern California and Texas.
Arshpreet Singh, 28, of Sacramento, and Vikramjeet Singh, 31, of Fontana, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit theft from interstate or foreign shipments following a seven-day trial, according to details released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Arshpreet was also convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, while Vikramjeet was acquitted of the same charge.
Federal prosecutors said the operation continued from March 2024 to June 2025, during which the accused and their associates acquired established trucking companies or fraudulently used their credentials to obtain genuine freight transportation contracts.
After securing the contracts, the group collected consignments from warehouses but diverted the goods instead of delivering them to their designated destinations.
The stolen merchandise included televisions, laptops, household appliances, solar panels, vacuum cleaners, LED lights, footwear and tyres. Investigators estimated the total losses at no less than $2 million.
During the trial, prosecutors detailed how the group used existing transport businesses to gain access to valuable shipments.
In March 2024, Arshpreet allegedly met the owner of Texas-based Z&F Transportation LLC and arranged to purchase the company for approximately $22,000. Later that month, an associate collected a shipment of televisions from Fontana, California, under the company’s name. The consignment, intended for delivery in Florida, never reached its destination.
A similar method was adopted in May 2024 when members of the group acquired Skyways Trucking LLC. The company was subsequently used to obtain shipments of laptops, televisions, solar panels and other goods.
The accused and their associates booked freight assignments through logistics intermediaries, including Uber Freight, before taking possession of the cargo and failing to complete the deliveries.
The thefts were reported from several logistics hubs across Southern California, including Fontana, Vernon, Santa Fe Springs, Perris, City of Industry, Long Beach, Compton, Commerce, Pico Rivera, Chino and Moreno Valley. Grand Prairie in Texas was also among the locations identified during the investigation.
US District Judge Anne Hwang has scheduled sentencing for January 20, 2027. Arshpreet faces a maximum prison term of 20 years, while Vikramjeet could be sentenced to up to five years.
The case was investigated by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, multiple California law enforcement agencies and the Fort Worth Police Department in Texas. Federal prosecutors Stephen Chang and Lloyd Masson are handling the proceedings.
