Juan Carlos Thola-Duran, 59, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, transporting stolen property across state lines, money laundering, and structuring transactions to evade reporting in a nationwide crime-tourism operation.

Prosecutors say the case includes four guilty pleas so far, with sentencing set for November and a larger ongoing investigation involving multiple co-conspirators; Thola-Duran faces up to 55 years in federal prison.

Thola-Duran and associates instructed thieves to rapidly spend stolen cards at major retailers to prevent freezes or cancellations.

The operation centered on Diver Power Rentals, a Van Nuys car rental business used to supply vehicles to theft crews and conceal identities with false IDs.

The ring fraudulently obtained about $250,000 in COVID-19 relief loans and nearly $275,000 in relief funds, using proceeds to acquire real estate, vehicles, horses, and other assets.

Thola-Duran and Arriagada directed thieves to shoplift and resell items back to co-conspirators or fences who passed proceeds back to the ring.

Stolen electronics, gift cards, and designer items were funneled through associates and fences for resale, with Thola-Duran acting as a fence at times.

Authorities described the operation as highly sophisticated, dispatching thieves regionally to burglarize and maximize stolen goods before cards could be frozen.

Thola-Duran engaged in cash structuring, repeatedly withdrawing under $10,000 to dodge reporting requirements.

From DPR and related thefts, the scheme earned at least about $5.76 million from fences, with a broader loss to victims totaling around $23.9 million across 37 victims.

Ana Maria Arriagada, Thola-Duran’s former girlfriend and DPR’s registered owner, pleaded guilty to four felonies in connection with the scheme.

Two other defendants, Patricia Enderton and Federico Jorge Triebel IV, have pleaded not guilty and face trial later this year; seven individuals are charged in the crime-tourism ring.