, Iowa —

The Department of Justice announced the indictments of 13 people in an alleged theft ring involving restaurant cooking oil.

The DOJ said the Chinese nationals stole or attempted to steal cooking oil from oil collection tanks at restaurants in Iowa, Tennessee, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri and Kentucky.

Prosecutors say they took the stolen product to warehouses in Nevada and Ankeny, Iowa, along with sites in Tennessee, Alabama and Ohio. The suspects then allegedly sold the cooking oil and laundered the proceeds.

Four of the suspects made their initial appearance in federal court Thursday. A tentative trial date was set for Feb. 2, 2026.

The DOJ said the following people were indicted on various racketeering and laundering charges:

Tianzhu Che

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