(NewsNation) — A federal grand jury in Iowa indicted multiple people on charges of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit the offense of interstate transportation of stolen property and money laundering.
Prosecutors say the defendants stole used cooking oil, which can be refined into biodiesel fuel, and resold it.
The oil was stolen from collection tanks in Iowa, Tennessee, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri and Kentucky. It was then allegedly transported to warehouses in Nevada, Iowa, Tennessee, Alabama and Ohio.
Investigators say that after selling the oil, the defendants laundered the proceeds.
People named in the indictment include Tinanzhu Chen, Jingliu Chen, Yong Chen, Fukang Wang, Xiangjing and Danrong Zhang, from New York; Xian Quan Guo, Jianfa Huang, Futao Wang and Xiangjing Wang from Iowa; Jie Wang from Ohio; Changxu Zou from Texas; and Changyu Zou and Wenrong Zou from Oklahoma.
Authorities executed search and arrest warrants in multiple states in connection with the indictment.