Larry Leonard, a 62-year-old resident of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty on May 11 before United States District Judge John M. Younge to charges related to conspiracy, interstate transportation of stolen property, and money laundering.
The case centers on the theft and resale of millions of dollars’ worth of goods that Leonard received and sold through pawn shops he operated in Philadelphia and Wilmington. The prosecution said the scheme ran from 2019 through 2023, with Leonard purchasing high-value items from drug addicts and professional thieves at a fraction of their retail price. These items included electronics, power tools, electric toothbrushes, and vacuums stolen from major retailers such as Walmart, Home Depot, Rite Aid, and Target.
According to court filings presented by United States Attorney David Metcalf’s office, Leonard resold these goods online via eBay under the storefront “societyhillloan,” generating more than $19 million in sales between November 2019 and December 2023. Additional merchandise was sold directly to third-party wholesalers.
Prosecutors said that proceeds from these activities funded a lavish lifestyle for Leonard and his wife. This included overseas travel as well as tickets for concerts and sporting events.
Leonard is scheduled for sentencing on August 25. He faces up to 45 years in prison if given the maximum sentence allowed by law.
The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations with support from several federal agencies as well as local police departments. Retailers including Walmart, Home Depot, Best Buy, Target, Dollar Tree, Lowe’s, ACME Markets Inc., Bose Corporation, Rite Aid Corporation, CVS Health Corporation and Harbor Freight Tools provided assistance during the investigation.
