HARTFORD, Conn. — A Connecticut man was sentenced in Hartford federal court on Monday for leading a catalytic converter theft ring that operated in numerous states and made millions of dollars.
Thirty-one-year-old Wolcott resident Alex Kolitsas was sentenced to five years in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, according to a report from the Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut. He must also pay $50,000.
Additionally, Kolitsas is losing numerous vehicles, over $90,000 in a company bank account and more than $75,000 in cash, all of which was seized by law enforcement during the investigation.
Court documents and statements made show that the case stems from the theft of catalytic converters from vehicles across Connecticut. The car part contains precious metals, can be easily removed and is difficult to trace, making it ideal for thieves.
The average scrap price for catalytic converters is between $300 and $1,500 based on the model and type of precious metal component, according to prosecutors.
Kolitsas owned and operated Downpipe Depot & Recycling, which operated a warehouse in East Hartford on Park Avenue. From around January 2021 to June 2022, he used the business to purchase stolen catalytic converters from a network of thieves.
Prosecutors proved in court that Kolitsas instructed his suppliers on the types of converters that would get the most money when resold. He often met and transacted business with them at his home late at night or behind a family member’s restaurant in Middlebury after hours.
Downpipe Depot records showed that many of Kolitsas’ suppliers were selling thousands to tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen converters to Kolitsas each week.
Beginning in January 2022, Kolitsas kept electronic invoices showing the purchase of stolen catalytic converters from his suppliers. In multiple invoices, Kolitsas gave his suppliers permission to use fake names or business names to create the appearance of proper record keeping while hiding the true source of the stolen converters.
The invoices show that between Jan. 26, 2022, and May 31, 2022, Kolitsas and Downpipe Depot paid more than $3.3 million to purchase converters from suppliers. Prosecutors point out that this period was only a fraction of the overall operation.
Kolitsas regularly drove and sold the catalytic converters to recycling businesses in New York and New Jersey. Prosecutors say that he made over $200,000 on some of these trips.
In an interview with investigators, the owner of a New York-based recycling business that worked with Kolitsas estimated that they paid him around $10 million for catalytic converters.
Investigators also revealed that Kolitsas used the proceeds from the criminal scheme to purchase a Ford transit van and other items, which he later forfeited.
Kolitsas was arrested on Aug. 24, 2022; he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and one count of promotional money laundering on Oct. 7, 2024.
Kolitsas is currently released on a $150,000 bond and must report to prison on July 14.
The investigation has been led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division; and the Eat Hartford Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Program, which looks to stop drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven strategies using local, state and federal law enforcement partners.
