Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025

This legislation addresses the growing problem of organized retail crime and cargo theft, which are causing significant financial losses, violence, and disruptions to the national economy and supply chain. It highlights that organized theft groups operate across jurisdictions, are often polycriminal, and use illicit profits to fund other criminal activities, impacting consumer safety and national security. The bill amends Title 18 of the U.S. Code to enhance federal law enforcement's ability to prosecute these crimes. Key changes include expanding the definition of money laundering to cover modern payment methods like gift cards and allowing the aggregation of stolen goods' value over a 12-month period to meet federal thresholds for offenses involving interstate transportation and receipt of stolen property. These modifications aim to provide more robust legal tools against sophisticated criminal organizations. A central provision of the bill is the establishment of the **Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center** within the Department of Homeland Security. This Center will coordinate federal law enforcement activities, foster relationships with state, local, and tribal agencies, and collaborate with retail and transportation companies. Its duties include investigating national and transnational criminal organizations, sharing threat information, tracking crime trends, and supporting training initiatives. The Center will be led by a Director and staffed by personnel from various federal agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the Secret Service, with a sunset clause after seven years. The bill also mandates an evaluation of existing federal grant and training programs to counter organized retail and supply chain crime, with recommendations for expansion and modification to better support law enforcement efforts.