Trucking Company Buyers Convicted in $2 Million California-Texas Cargo Heist

Two found guilty after using legitimate trucking companies to steal $2 million in cargo

A federal jury has convicted two California men for their roles in a cargo theft scheme that used legitimate trucking companies to obtain shipping contracts and divert loads from warehouses in Southern California and Texas.

Arshpreet Singh, 28, of Sacramento, and Vikramjeet Singh, 31, of Fontana, were found guilty Sept. 29 of conspiracy to commit theft from interstate or foreign shipments, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

Singh also was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Jurors acquitted Vikramjeet Singh of the separate wire fraud conspiracy charge.

The verdict followed a seven-day federal trial in Los Angeles. Prosecutors said the scheme involved purchasing or fraudulently using established trucking companies to bid on legitimate shipping contracts through freight brokers. After the companies were awarded loads, the cargo was picked up but never delivered to the destinations listed in the contracts.

Authorities estimate that the stolen merchandise was worth more than $2 million. The products included televisions, laptops, vacuums, LED lights, solar panels, appliances, footwear and tires.

Companies used to obtain legitimate loads

According to court documents, the scheme operated from March 2024 through June 2025. Prosecutors said Singh and co-conspirators acquired or otherwise took control of legitimate carriers, allowing them to appear to shippers and brokers as authorized transportation providers.

One of the companies identified in the case was Z&F Transportation LLC, a Texas-based carrier. Prosecutors said Singh met with the company’s owner in March 2024 and purchased it for approximately $22,000.

Later that month, a co-conspirator operating on behalf of Z&F Transportation picked up a shipment of televisions in Fontana. The load was supposed to be delivered to Florida, but authorities said it was never delivered to the intended destination.

Another carrier, Skyways Trucking LLC, was purchased in May 2024, according to prosecutors. The company was then used in connection with loads containing laptops, televisions, solar panels and other merchandise.

The case illustrates how cargo theft can involve more than unauthorized access to a warehouse or a hijacked truck. In this instance, prosecutors said the defendants used real carrier identities and valid shipping opportunities to get cargo released at warehouse docks. The loads were obtained through ordinary freight transactions before being diverted.

Warehouses across two states targeted

The alleged thefts involved warehouse facilities in Fontana, Vernon, Santa Fe Springs, Perris, City of Industry, Long Beach, Compton, Commerce, Pico Rivera, Chino and Moreno Valley. Investigators also identified a facility in Grand Prairie, Texas.

For carriers and professional drivers, the case highlights the importance of identity and authorization checks throughout the load process. A shipment can be assigned through a legitimate brokerage channel and still be exposed to fraud if a carrier’s credentials, ownership or operating authority have been misused.

The government’s case was investigated by the FBI’s Inland Violent Crime Suppression Task Force, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Fontana Police Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Fort Worth Police Department.

Sentencing scheduled for January

U.S. District Judge Anne Hwang scheduled sentencing hearings for Jan. 20, 2027. Arshpreet Singh faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison, while Vikramjeet Singh faces a statutory maximum of five years.

Those are the maximum penalties allowed by law and do not indicate the sentences the court will impose. Sentencing will take place after the court considers the convictions and applicable federal sentencing requirements.

The convictions resolve the criminal charges against the two defendants related to the alleged cargo theft conspiracy. The case also underscores the financial and operational risks created when legitimate carrier identities are used to secure loads that are never delivered.