Linda Been is headed to federal prison for 5 years for more than 165 counts related to running a huge retail theft ring in several states, including Oklahoma that made her $4 million.
She admitted she recruited thieves and sent them an excel spread sheet with the over-the-counter items she wanted them to steal and how much she would pay for each item.
She paid them and if her thieves got arrested, she bailed them out of jail or put money on their accounts, so they wouldn’t snitch.
They hit places like Walgreens, CVS, Wal-Mart, Reasor’s, Sam’s, Atkins, GNC, Sprouts and Target.
She had them traveling to KS, TX, MO, AR, CO and FL to steal for her and she would pay their traveling expenses, like rental cars.
It says she often paid them through cash apps like Venmo and some of them admitted being drug addicts and doing it for the money to buy drugs.
She sold and shipped the stolen goods to various fencing operations outside Oklahoma, where they were sold online at places like eBay for millions of dollars.
Been was allowed to remain free on bond until she surrenders to prison.
