PORTSMOUTH, Va. - Re-selling goods online stolen from Hampton Roads stores for nearly three years—it's what federal court documents detail with three people behind an operation based in Portsmouth. Two of the three individuals are about to be sentenced.
The store was known as "Bargain Empire,” and was located in a shopping plaza around High Street and London Boulevard.
In October 2021, the three were indicted by a grand jury on charges including conspiracy, money laundering, and interstate transportation of stolen property.
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Meanwhile, one nearby business owner revealed to News 3 what he saw when this was taking place.
“It was constantly busy out here,” the owner of Passions Exclusive Cutz and Stylez told News 3.
The owner of Passions was learning more about his former neighbors Rashid ElHassani, Adil ElHassani, and Laura Ortiz.
“To me, they were good people,” the owner of Passions said.
But Wednesday, he learned the three are named in a federal case with documents stating the three conspired to sell and transport stolen goods in interstate commerce. This is said to have taken place over a nearly three-year period from January 2018 through December 2020.
“I just thought it was, when they first came, it was like a consignment shop,” Passions’ owner told News 3. “A lot of people came [and] brought stuff in boxes.”
Documents state shoplifters would steal goods such as power tools, printer ink cartridges, electronics, and shaving razors from stores like Walmart, Home Depot and Lowe's in Hampton Roads. Those shoplifters took the items to where Bargain Empire was located. There, the defendants paid for them in cash, knowing that they were stolen, and listed them for sale online through accounts on eBay and Amazon.
According to court records, eBay and Amazon accounts linked to the defendants had more than $5,000 in interstate sales of merchandise.
“I thought it was just business as usual,” Passions’ owner said.
In December 2020, court documents show a search warrant was executed at Bargain Empire and two storage units in Hampton tied to Ortiz. Inside Bargain Empire, police seized thousands of items, including printer ink cartridges and power tools. This included a generator and saw linked to a Lowe's on Victory Boulevard in Portsmouth.
Meanwhile, inside the storage units, police seized items like laptops, electronics, and razors. Other items in the storage units included an upright vacuum linked to a Home Depot in Virginia Beach and a Chromebook linked to a Best Buy in Newport News.
“When you’re caught, you’ve got to pay the penalty,” Passions’ owner told News 3.
News 3 went to the storefront listed in the documents for Bargain Empire. The doors were locked Wednesday, and no one answered.
The owner of Passions told News 3 the storefront is now an event planning business.
Two of the three in the court records, Rashid ElHassani and Laura Ortiz, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy. Rashid ElHassani's sentencing is set for later this month, while Ortiz's is set for March.
Wednesday, News 3 reached out to both of their attorneys but they both declined to comment on this case.
Court records indicate Adil ElHassani has not yet been arrested and may be out of the country.
News 3’s John Cowley IV contributed to this report.
