A crime tourism group operating out of an LA car rental business has stolen millions in robberies and home invasions, authorities say

In California, seven people were arrested for their role in operating a criminal tourism ring that provided vehicles to thieves for their illegal businesses, federal authorities said.

According to a press release from the Department of Justice, Juan Carlos Thola-Duran, 57, and his girlfriend Ana Maria Arriagada, 41, operated Driver Power Rentals (DPR) in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Van Nuys. The company provided vehicles to criminals, often from South America and other countries, who they used to commit crimes throughout the United States.

The seven individuals are accused of several criminal offenses before the Federal Court, including wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and arranging transactions to evade reporting requirements.

The indictment, obtained by Fox News Digital, accuses Thola-Duran of directing accomplices to commit thefts from at least January 2018 through July 2024, including shoplifting, burglaries of homes and businesses, and the theft of victims’ credit and debit cards.

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Authorities alleged that Thola-Duran and Arriagada instructed their co-conspirators to take the stolen credit and debit cards and immediately go to stores such as Target, Best Buy, The Home Depot and others to maximize the value of the stolen cards by purchasing electronics, gift cards, designer handbags and other high-end luxury items before the stolen cards could be frozen or blocked.

The indictment states that Thola-Duran arranged for the thieves to deliver or mail the stolen goods to other co-conspirators and back to the DPR.

Authorities alleged that Thola-Duran acted as a “fence” between the other conspirators, purchasing the stolen goods at a fraction of their retail value in order to pay the thieves a percentage of the retail value of the goods.

According to authorities, Thola-Duran earned an incredible $5.5 million during the conspiracy, including approximately $5.1 million that was transferred to various bank accounts.

Thola-Duran and Arriagada are said to have used the stolen money to buy real estate and horses, the indictment says.

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In addition to running a crime ring, the indictment alleges that from May 2020 to June 2021, Thola-Duran and others worked together to fraudulently obtain $274,998 in COVID-19 relief loans..

Juan Carlos Thola-Duran, 57, and his girlfriend Ana Maria Arriagada, 41, operated Driver Power Rentals (DPR) in Los Angeles, California. (FOX 11)

The investigation, which involved multiple agencies, including the LAPD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI, spanned several years.

“Since 2019, we have arrested over 130 suspects responsible for committing these crimes, the vast majority of whom used vehicles from Driver Power Rentals,” Ventura County Sheriff James Fryhoff said in the press release.

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“Driver Power Rentals provided cars that were allegedly used to steal high-value merchandise and jewelry from homeowners in Ventura County,” said Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko. “The arrest of a major operator that fueled crime tourism is critical to neighborhood safety, and I am grateful to U.S. Attorney Estrada and his team for pursuing this network so vigorously.”

If convicted, the defendants would face a maximum sentence of 20 years in a federal prison for each count related to wire fraud and money laundering, up to 10 years in a federal prison for each count related to structuring, and up to five years in a federal prison for conspiracy to transport stolen goods interstate.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California for comment.