Millions of dollars reportedly were illegally made off of stolen goods sold on eBay in South King County.<\/p>\n
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, two Western Washington men have been indicted by a federal grand jury on 11 criminal counts related to their alleged conspiracy to traffic in stolen goods.<\/p>\n
Vitaliy F. Bobak, 52, of Federal Way, and Andrey A. Balun, 57, of Bellevue and Las Vegas, jointly owned MBA Trading LLC, which operated a Burien storefront under the name “We Buy Gold, Silver, and Electronics.” Law enforcement alleges the storefront knowingly purchased stolen goods from area retailers and sold them on Amazon and eBay, generating millions in profit. The men are scheduled for arraignment on Aug. 1.<\/p>\n
“The purchase and trafficking of these stolen goods fuels the organized retail theft that has so damaged our local retailers,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “If the ‘boosters,’ as they are called, had no market for these stolen goods, they would stop their rampant theft from our retailers.”<\/p>\n
Bobak and Balun reportedly were not just regular shoplifters or boosters — they were part of a larger sophisticated network. Robert Hammer, special agent in charge of HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest, said these networks target legitimate businesses, confusing consumers and creating a ripple effect that makes it more difficult for retailers to operate.<\/p>\n
The indictment details that between January 2018 and December 2023, the men’s storefront purchased goods that were clearly stolen, often still bearing anti-theft devices or retailer-specific stickers. The goods were bought below retail price and then sold through two online stores. The stores operated under the usernames “Medikus” on Amazon and “abcstore555” on eBay.<\/p>\n
The indictment traces the proceeds from these sales to the men’s bank accounts, which were then used to pay the “boosters” and employees involved in the scheme — and for personal expenses such as a $67,000 cash payment for a new Lexus and a large down payment for a home in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
An analysis of sales from the two online stores between Jan. 1, 2022, and Nov. 28, 2023, showed over 150,000 transactions with combined sales exceeding $4.5 million, according to the Department of Justice. When search warrants were executed on Dec. 19, 2023, law enforcement seized more than 74,000 items of stolen merchandise valued at approximately $2.4 million, according to the department.<\/p>\n
Bobak and Balun face charges including conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce, interstate transportation of stolen property, conspiracy to commit money laundering, three counts of concealment money laundering, and five counts of money laundering. The potential penalties for these charges range from five to 20 years in prison.<\/p>\n
The Department of Justice reports that the charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.<\/p>\n
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Renton Police Department, Seattle Police Department, the IRS, and aid from multiple retailer investigators. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Waite and Asset Forfeiture Assistant United States Attorney Krista Bush.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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