Show-Me State Times

U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk sentenced Mohsen Akbari, a Canadian man who conducted a cross-country crime spree, to 15 months in prison for stealing $109,000 from retailers in at least 11 states. Judge Pitlyk also ordered Akbari to repay the money, with $75,000 already seized from his accounts.

During his crime spree, Akbari employed various tactics to steal money from retailers. He would make a small purchase and then deceive store employees into giving him cash by using sleight-of-hand techniques. Akbari's modus operandi included claiming to collect $100 bills with his family and requesting to examine bills in the register, during which he would discreetly pocket some bills.

In specific instances, Akbari stole varying amounts from different stores in Missouri and Illinois over a nearly six-month period in 2023. Among his thefts were $2,420 from a Walmart in St. Peters, Missouri, $6,900 from a store in Granite City, Illinois, $420 from an O’Fallon, Missouri store, $900 from a Warrenton, Missouri store, $580 from a Walmart in Eureka, Missouri, and $5,100 from an Arnold, Missouri Walmart.

In total, Akbari confessed to stealing $109,452. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Eureka Police Department, and the Arnold Police Department, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman handling the prosecution.