Posted on April 24, 2026 by Barry Zalma
Criminal Who Bought and Sold Stolen Catalytic Convertors Sentenced to Five Years
Buying and Selling Stolen Catalytic Convertors Requires Jail Term
Post number 5325
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In Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania v. Michael Williams, No. 1409 EDA 2025, J-A03027-26, Superior Court of Pennsylvania (April 17, 2026) Michael Williams, operating TDI Towing, purchased approximately $2.7 million in stolen catalytic converters annually from individuals who removed them from vehicles in Bucks, Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Delaware counties. Williams then resold these converters for profit to an automotive store in New Jersey.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND:
Catalytic converters, which contain precious metals like rhodium, palladium, and platinum, were targeted due to the high market value of these metals during the relevant period. Williams was the boss of everything that occurred at TDI Towing-he ran the catalytic converter purchase and sales operation, gave instructions to employees to run the operation, and supplied the cash for the operation.
The purchasing of catalytic converters occurred 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and involved people from the street bringing in one or numerous catalytic converters at a time to sell to TDI Towing.
Williams knew that ninety-nine percent of the catalytic converters sold to TDI were stolen. Williams bought approximately one hundred seventy-five (175) catalytic converters per week and paid out an average of $300.00 per catalytic converter which was calculated to 2.7 million dollars for catalytic converters per year.
The court sentenced Williams on the single count of receiving stolen property to 30 to 60 months’ incarceration followed by two years of probation.
LEGAL ISSUES:
Williams pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property and related charges. The primary legal issue on appeal involved the discretionary aspects of his sentence.
COURT’S ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION:
The Superior Court (acting as an appellate court) reviewed the trial court’s summary of facts and considered Williams’s challenge to the sentence imposed. The trial court’s sentencing memorandum reflects an assessment of the facts and the trial court’s application of sentencing discretion, with no indication that legal standards were misapplied.
Sentencing is a matter vested in the sound discretion of the sentencing judge, and a sentence will not be disturbed on appeal absent a manifest abuse of discretion. An abuse of discretion occurs where the sentencing court ignored or misapplied the law, exercised its judgment for reasons of partiality, prejudice, bias or ill will, or arrived at a manifestly unreasonable decision. The court adequately considered the mitigating factors, as well as the seriousness and duration of the crime in determining Williams’s sentence.
CONCLUSION:
The court affirmed the judgment of sentence, concluding that the trial court acted within its discretion regarding the punishment imposed for Williams’s offenses.
ZALMA OPINION
Convicted criminals unhappy with their sentence and appeal it to a higher court define the unmitigated gall expressed by the Yiddish word “Chutzpah”. Williams was a major criminal paying more than two million dollars to thieves 24 hours a day seven days a week and selling them over to others for a major profit. He was caught, found guilty and sentence to 30 to 60 months in prison and complained it was too much. He was wrong and should have been happy with the short sentence.
(c) 2026 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.
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Foolish to Repeatedly Disobey Court Orders
All That Remains For Trial Is Plaintiff’s Damages On Each Of These Claims And Establishing Proximate Causation Of Those Damages.
Post number 5348
See the full video at and at and at https://zalma.com/blog plus 5300 posts.
In Linh Wang v. Esurance Insurance Company, No. C24-0447-JCC, United States District Court, W.D. Washington, Seattle (May 1, 2026) John C. Coughenour, United States District Judge, found that throughout this case, culminating with its briefing on Plaintiff’s renewed motion and that Defendant has subjected Plaintiff to unnecessary motion practice for clearly discoverable information and made dubious representations (including to the Court).
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
This case involves an underinsured/uninsured motorist insurance bad faith claim arising from a 2017 motor vehicle collision. The plaintiff, Linh Wang, alleges that Esurance Insurance ...
The Right to Negotiate with Insurer is Not an Assignment of Claims
Post number 5347
Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ambiguous-contract-repair-assignment-barry-zalma-esq-cfe-2xppc, see the full video at https://rumble.com/v79is1s-ambiguous-contract-to-repair-not-an-assignment.html and at and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5300 posts.
Nebraska Requires an Actual Assignment to Allow Contractor to Sue Insurer
In Millard Gutter Company, a corporation doing business as Millard Roofing and Gutter v. Farmers Mutual Insurance Company of Nebraska, also known as Farmers Mutual Insurance, also known as Farmers Mutual, No. A-24-818, Court of Appeals of Nebraska (May 5, 2026) Millard sued Farmers as an assignee of Jane Anzalone who had hired Millard Gutter to repair the roof of her home and agreed to allow Millard Gutter to coordinate with her insurer, Farmers Mutual, concerning reimbursement for repairs authorized under her insurance policy.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
In ...
Attempt to Withdraw Plea After Sentencing Fails
Post number 5346
Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/admit-crime-ready-do-time-barry-zalma-esq-cfe-hgyce, see the video at and at and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5300 posts.
Stealing from Insurers and Employer Gets Defendant Five Years in Prison
In State of Wisconsin v. Jacquelyn R. Harris, No. 2025AP489-CR, Court of Appeals of Wisconsin (April 22, 2026) Harris pled no contest and was found guilty. She was sentenced to five years of initial confinement and three years of extended supervision, with restitution ordered in the amounts of $31,086 to Kaliber and $25,000 to Erie Insurance Company.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
In late 2022, Jacquelyn R. Harris was charged with theft in a business setting under WIS. STAT. § 943.20(1)(b) (2023-24). Harris, while employed as the office manager for Kaliber Collision Repair in Port ...
Plaintiff May Try Again to get a Judgment
Posted on May 22, 2026 by Barry Zalma
Just Because a Defendant Defaults Evidence is Needed to get a Judgment
Even on a Default Motion the Plaintiff Must Do More Than Rely on Conclusory Allegations.
Post number 5356
The Commissioners Of The State Insurance Fund v. Capcon Construction Industries Corp., Capcon Construction Supply Corp., Jab Masonry Corp., Agra Masonry Inc., Agra Industries Usa Corp, A & A Masonry Corp., Alexander Shvartsberg, Darren Caputo, Maryann Furman, Index No. 452680/2024, MOTION SEQ. No. 003, 2026 NY Slip Op 31767(U), Supreme Court, New York County (April 20, 2026)
FACTS
The Commissioners of the State Insurance Fund (SIF) had already obtained two judgments for unpaid workers’ compensation insurance premiums: one against A\&A Masonry Corp. and another, much larger one, against Agra Masonry Inc. SIF then brought this action against several related corporations and individuals, alleging that they all operated as a single de facto enterprise and that assets had ...
Defaulting Fraud Perpetrator Lets Insurer Defeat Fraud
Post number 5355
Posted on May 21, 2026 by Barry Zalma
In Transamerica Life Insurance Company v. John Joseph Egan, et al., No. 25-cv-06167-JD, United States District Court, N.D. California (May 12, 2026) Transamerica Life Insurance Company issued John Egan a life insurance policy with a long-term care rider that covered in-home skilled nursing or other professional care if he qualified as chronically ill.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
In 2023, Egan submitted a claim alleging severe pain, major loss of daily functioning, and limited mobility following an auto accident. Transamerica approved coverage and paid benefits based on those representations and repeated proofs of loss describing in-home care services. After later surveillance in 2024 and 2025 showed Egan working, driving, shopping, and otherwise functioning without visible impairment — and showed no evidence of in-home care — Transamerica concluded that the claim was fraudulent and filed suit.
Transamerica surveilled ...
Defaulting Fraud Perpetrator Lets Insurer Defeat Fraud
Post number 5355
Posted on May 21, 2026 by Barry Zalma
In Transamerica Life Insurance Company v. John Joseph Egan, et al., No. 25-cv-06167-JD, United States District Court, N.D. California (May 12, 2026) Transamerica Life Insurance Company issued John Egan a life insurance policy with a long-term care rider that covered in-home skilled nursing or other professional care if he qualified as chronically ill.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
In 2023, Egan submitted a claim alleging severe pain, major loss of daily functioning, and limited mobility following an auto accident. Transamerica approved coverage and paid benefits based on those representations and repeated proofs of loss describing in-home care services. After later surveillance in 2024 and 2025 showed Egan working, driving, shopping, and otherwise functioning without visible impairment — and showed no evidence of in-home care — Transamerica concluded that the claim was fraudulent and filed suit.
Transamerica surveilled ...
