A New Jersey man has pleaded guilty to leading a nationwide catalytic converter theft ring that brought in more than $600 million by reselling stolen auto parts to a metal refinery, federal prosecutors announced Monday.
Navin Khanna, 41, of Holmdel, New Jersey, entered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Oklahoma to one count of conspiracy to receive, possess, and dispose of stolen goods in interstate commerce, and five counts of money laundering.
Khanna admitted to operating D.G. Auto Parts, a New Jersey-based company that trafficked stolen catalytic converters from Oklahoma, Texas, and other states between May 2020 and October 2022. Prosecutors said Khanna resold the stolen parts — which contain valuable metals such as palladium and rhodium — to a refinery that extracted the materials.
“The defendant made $600 million and financed his ostentatious lifestyle by buying and selling stolen goods,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti.
Authorities launched a multi-state investigation in response to a surge in catalytic converter thefts across Tulsa in 2020. The operation led to search warrants in Oklahoma, Texas, California, New Jersey, and New York. Khanna was indicted by federal grand juries in Oklahoma and California.
As part of his plea agreement, Khanna agreed to forfeit nearly $4 million in cash, 11 luxury vehicles — including a Lamborghini, McLaren, and Ferraris — along with real estate, gold bars, jewelry, and over 200 pallets of catalytic converters seized during the investigation.
Khanna’s 13 co-defendants in the Oklahoma case have also pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Collectively, they have agreed to forfeit more than $3.2 million in cash, property, and other assets tied to the scheme.
Khanna’s sentencing will take place in the Eastern District of California, where he also faces charges in connection with the case. He faces up to 17.5 years in prison.
