Federal prosecutors say a 72-year-old Fresno businessman turned livestock feed into a luxury lifestyle, and now he is headed to prison for it.
Richard Best, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday to three years in federal prison and ordered to pay $2 million in restitution after prosecutors said he helped divert nearly $4.8 million worth of canola that was supposed to be used as livestock feed. Federal filings and court records state that the scheme ran from 2015 through 2017, and prosecutors say Best spent proceeds on homes, vehicles and other luxury expenses.
Sentence and restitution
According to a press release by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California, U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston imposed the three-year prison term and $2 million restitution order after Best pleaded guilty in October 2025. Prosecutors said they traced wire transfers and purchases that funneled the scheme’s proceeds into Best’s accounts and to cover RBT’s operating expenses.
How prosecutors say the theft worked
As reported by the Fresno Bee, Best ran the scheme through his train-to-truck transloading company, Richard Best Transfer Inc., while an insider at a victim food processor, later identified as Shawn Sawa, manipulated shipments and inventory records. Prosecutors say Best and Sawa then sold the stolen canola through an acquaintance in Texas to farms and dairies and used bank accounts opened in family members’ names to conceal the proceeds.
Co‑defendant previously sentenced
Per a separate press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Sawa pleaded guilty earlier and was sentenced on Dec. 8, 2025, to 18 months in prison for his role in the theft. Prosecutors say Sawa initially took kickback payments before the operation escalated into outright diversion of cargo.
Law enforcement reaction
“White collar crime is not victimless; victim companies can be devastated by crimes like these and the price of the commodities they sell can also be impacted,” FBI Sacramento Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel said in a post from FBI Sacramento on X. The FBI led the investigation, and prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office brought the case to federal court.
Why it matters to Valley farms
Agricultural theft and supply-chain fraud have been a recurring problem across the Central Valley, where high-value crops and long, multi-step shipping chains create opportunities for diversion and resale. Local reporting has documented similar theft rings and "ghost truck" schemes that have cost growers and processors millions, underscoring the stakes for regional producers and buyers; see local coverage for context from KFSN/ABC30.
Reporting and tips
Federal officials say they continue to pursue leads and urged anyone with information about similar schemes to come forward. The FBI Sacramento office reiterated that request in its post on X and through local channels; tips can be directed to the FBI or the U.S. Attorney’s Office tip lines listed in their public releases.
