Prosecutors: Man made millions selling catalytic converters

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – You may remember just last December, Joplin police found a local woman in possession of nearly 100 catalytic converters.

Now, federal prosecutors say a man from Independence, Missouri made millions of dollars selling catalytic converters.

The Department of Justice announced Thursday that 56-year-old James Spick faces a 26-count indictment.

The indictment says Spick, owner of J&J Recycling in Independence, made more than $11 million by selling catalytic converters, many of which were stolen, from January 2018 to December 2021.

Catalytic converter theft is rising across the country because precious metals can be extracted from them and sold.

Spick allegedly sold the converters to companies in Missouri, Texas and Louisiana.