WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier was in West Palm Beach Thursday morning to announce the arrests of two alleged ringleaders in a coordinated baby formula theft operation that spanned multiple counties and resulted in over $1 million in stolen merchandise.
Mohammed Alsaidi and Zeina Zabib, both of Lake Worth, were arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit racketeering and directing and dealing in stolen property. If convicted, they each face up to 90 years in prison.
WATCH BELOW: 2 Palm Beach Co. residents arrested in suspected baby formula theft ring
The 15-month investigation, dubbed "Formula One," uncovered what authorities describe as a sophisticated criminal enterprise involving nearly a dozen individuals across six judicial circuits. The operation included more than 150 separate baby formula thefts from major retailers including Publix, Walmart, Target, Walgreens and CVS.
"This wasn't just a little bit of retail theft here or there," Uthmeier said. "This was a large, coordinated enterprise spanning over multiple counties and many circuits."
Detective Christopher Apple of the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office led the investigation. Apple explained that professional shoplifters, known as "boosters," stole baby formula and sold it to Alsaidi and Zabib, who acted as "fences" — purchasing the stolen goods and reselling them for profit at about five times what they paid.
When authorities executed search warrants on Sept. 1, they found about 1,000 cans of baby formula worth about $38,000 in retail value in a warehouse in Davie that was not air-conditioned, along with 1,300 cans of tuna and sardines stored in temperatures exceeding 90 degrees.
WATCH THE FULL PRESS CONFERENCE BELOW:
Nine other individuals have already been arrested in connection with the scheme, Uthmeier said.
Palm Beach County
3 women accused of stealing $32K in baby formula
The arrests come as Florida has strengthened penalties for retail theft. In 2024, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 549, which allows repeat retail theft cases to be prosecuted as first-degree felonies carrying up to 30 years in prison.
Uthmeier emphasized that retail theft is not a victimless crime, pointing to empty store shelves, increased security costs and higher prices for consumers as consequences of such operations.
"You don't want to upset moms ever. You certainly don't want to upset moms when it comes to feeding their little ones," Uthmeier said. "So, this is a fight that we will valiantly fight."
