WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, a Florida Republican, is advocating for federal laws to fight transnational organized retail theft, drawing on her expertise as Florida’s lawyer normal the place she applied new methods to focus on large-scale crime rings.
Moody introduced her proposals to a Senate Judiciary Committee listening to on Tuesday, arguing for federal instruments to guard customers and keep decrease costs.
Moody criticized states and cities she characterised as “poorly run” for failing to prosecute organized retail theft, which she mentioned has led to some cities resembling “third-world nations.”
“Whereas a lot of the nation watched mobs storm L.A. shops and crime rings boldly goal main retailers, Florida dug in, using new expertise, forging novel partnerships and strengthening state legal guidelines to ensure organized retail crime didn’t get a foothold in Florida,” Moody mentioned.
“It’s time to deliver the Florida method to the federal authorities to cease organized retail crime, shield customers and preserve costs low for hardworking Individuals particularly as weak state leaders fail to implement the regulation,” she mentioned.
Throughout her tenure as Florida’s lawyer normal, Moody launched the Florida Organized Retail Crime Alternate, or FORCE, an interactive database and statewide process drive created in partnership with the Florida Retailers Federation.
FORCE goals to bridge the hole between retailers, regulation enforcement, and prosecutors by offering shareable data to establish traits and suspects in organized retail theft rings.
Her workplace has cited quite a few circumstances of large-scale organized retail theft operations disrupted in Florida, together with:
- In January 2025, 5 crime ring members have been charged for allegedly stealing over $400,000.
- In April 2024, 5 members of an organized retail theft ring have been arrested.
- In February 2024, prison fees have been filed in opposition to three people accused of stealing over $100,000.
- In November 2023, an organized retail theft ringleader acquired an eight-year sentence and a $500,000 restitution order.
- In October 2023, prison fees have been filed in opposition to 14 people in South Florida for alleged losses totaling $20 million.
To hearken to Moody’s full remarks, click on right here.
In line with her workplace, Moody’s efforts as lawyer normal secured convictions in opposition to greater than 260 people concerned in these crime rings.
