Multiple Chinese Nationals Indicted on Charges Related to Theft and Re-Sale of Restaurant Cooking Oil

December 16, 2025

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(U.S. Attorney's Office Southern District of Iowa) A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned a nine-count indictment on December 9, 2025, charging multiple individuals with charges related to a racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit the offense of interstate transportation of stolen property, and money laundering.

As alleged in the Indictment, the charged Defendants committed thefts of used cooking oil, which can be refined into biodiesel fuel and re-sold. Defendants drove trucks to restaurants and stole and attempted to steal cooking oil from oil collection tanks located at restaurants throughout Iowa, and in Tennessee, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kentucky. Defendants then transported the stolen cooking oil to warehouses in Nevada and Ankeny, Iowa; Lewisburg, Tennessee; Dora, Alabama; and Tipp City, Ohio. Defendants subsequently sold the stolen cooking oil and laundered the proceeds.

The following individuals are charged in the Indictment:

Tianzhu Chen, 33, of Flushing, New York, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property, and two counts of money laundering.
Jingliu Chen, 55, of Flushing, New York, is charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate.
Yong Chen, 32, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, and two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property.
Xian Quan Guo, 48, of Des Moines, Iowa, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate.
Jianfa Huang, 40, of Des Moines, Iowa, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, and interstate transportation of stolen property.
Fukang Wang, 37, of Staten Island, New York, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate.
Futao Wang, 36, of Des Moines, Iowa, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, and interstate transportation of stolen property.
Jie Wang, 30, of Dayton, Ohio, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate.
Xiangjing Wang, 34, of Des Moines, Iowa, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, and two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property.
Danrong Zhang, 38, of Flushing, New York, is charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate and money laundering.
Changxu Zou, 41, of Tulia, Texas, is charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate.
Changyu Zou, 38, of Edmond, Oklahoma, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate.
Wenrong Zou, 32, of Edmond, Oklahoma, is charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate

In connection with the case, federal search warrants and arrest warrants were executed today in Iowa, Ohio, New York, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Xian Quan Guo, Jianfa Huang, Futao Wang, and Xiangjing Wang made their initial court appearances today before a United States Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. Trial was set for February 2, 2026. The remaining defendants will make their initial court appearances in the Southern District of Iowa on later dates.

United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Central Iowa Gang Task Force of the FBI Des Moines Resident Agency of the Omaha Field Office is investigating this case, with assistance from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office; Story County Sheriff’s Office; Des Moines Police Department; West Des Moines Police Department; Iowa Department of Public Safety; Iowa Department of Transportation; Gahanna, Ohio Police Department; Cullman, Alabama Police Department; Springfield, Illinois, Police Department; 18th Judicial District Drug Task Force in Tennessee; FBI Dayton Resident Agency of the Cincinnati Field Office; FBI Lexington Resident Agency of the Springfield Field Office; FBI Oklahoma City Field Office; FBI New York City Field Office; FBI Birmingham Field Office; FBI Amarillo Resident Agency of the Dallas Field Office; FBI Language Services; and the Environmental Protection Agency.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. READ MORE