Navin Khanna, a 42-year-old resident of Holmdel, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, conspiracy to commit promotional money laundering, and interstate transportation of stolen property. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.
Court documents show that from October 2019 to March 2024, Khanna, along with family members and co-conspirators, operated DG Auto and bought stolen catalytic converters from California and other states. The purchases totaled over $600 million nationwide. As part of the investigation, ten residents of New Jersey and three from California were charged in connection with the theft ring.
Catalytic converter theft has increased across the United States due to their high value and ease of removal from vehicles. The precious metals inside catalytic converters can be worth more per ounce than gold. Some models, such as those taken from Toyota Prius vehicles in California, can sell for over $1,200 each on the black market.
Khanna purchased more than $38 million worth of stolen catalytic converters from the Sacramento area through Tou Vang and his family, who ran Vang Auto. Vang shipped large quantities—pallets weighing over 1,000 pounds—of high-value catalytic converters like those used in Toyota Prius cars to Khanna. The volume was so significant that Khanna placed the parts code “GD3-EA6” on the license plate of one of his McLaren vehicles. Tou Vang received a 12-year prison sentence for his involvement in transporting thousands of stolen catalytic converters across state lines and laundering money.
The investigation involved multiple agencies: the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), IRS Criminal Investigation, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, Sacramento Police Department, Davis Police Department, Auburn Police Department, Livermore Police Department, and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. AlegrĂa and Trial Attorney CĂ©sar S. Rivera-Giraud are prosecuting the case.
Khanna is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins at a later date.
