A former senior product designer at Chatsworth-based MGA Entertainment is at the center of a very different kind of toy story, after prosecutors say investigators recovered more than $1 million in collectible die-cast cars from his home.
Authorities allege the defendant, 55-year-old Luis Tanahara of Simi Valley, loaded roughly $500,000 worth of CarTuned merchandise out of a shipping container at MGA’s Chatsworth facility on February 14, then later hid or stored additional boxes at a residence in Simi Valley. Prosecutors have filed felony counts of grand theft and receiving stolen property, alleging total losses topping $1 million.
Tanahara, identified by prosecutors as a former senior product designer with the toy company, pleaded not guilty in April and remains free on his own recognizance. The case is headed to a preliminary hearing today, May 27, where a judge will decide whether it should move forward.
As reported by CBS Los Angeles, Tanahara was charged with one felony count of grand theft and one felony count of receiving stolen property. Prosecutors allege he took about $500,000 in CarTuned collectibles from a shipping container on February 14 and that investigators later recovered more than $1 million in product during a search of his home, according to the station.
Prosecutors’ message
“Diecast cars like CarTuned are prized collectibles,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a news release, adding that collectible die-cast merchandise can carry premium value to hobbyists.
In the same announcement from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, prosecutors listed the case number as 26CJCF02175. The investigation is being handled by the Los Angeles Police Department, and the case is assigned to Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Illions of the DA's Organized Crime Division. The office’s release lays out the timeline and specific charges.
Designer and the CarTuned line
MGA’s official online store lists CarTuned among its collectible brands and shows multiple series and “master pack” releases sold directly to consumers, with the line appearing across the company’s digital storefront. The hobby catalog HobbyDB notes that the CarTuned brand launched in 2024 and credits Luis Tanahara as the designer behind the series, which helps explain why prosecutors and collectors alike assign premium value to certain sets. Product and designer details are displayed on the websites of MGA Entertainment and HobbyDB.
How investigators say it unfolded
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, prosecutors say that on February 14 Tanahara allegedly removed roughly $500,000 worth of CarTuned product from a shipping container at MGA’s Chatsworth factory and loaded the items into his personal vehicle.
Investigators executed a search warrant in early March and seized more than $1 million in collectibles from his home, the DA’s office reports. Prosecutors say the case was filed for a warrant on April 7. Tanahara was arrested, arraigned, and pleaded not guilty on April 10, then was released on his own recognizance with a court order to stay away from MGA Entertainment.
Collectors and cargo theft trend
The arrest comes amid a run of high-value collectible and cargo thefts across Southern California that have targeted hobby shops and freight shipments in recent months. Local reporting documented trading-card store burglaries in Burbank last winter, according to NBC Los Angeles, and multi-agency operations have recovered millions in stolen freight, per FOX 11 Los Angeles.
Legal next steps
If convicted, Tanahara faces up to six years in state prison, according to CBS Los Angeles. The charges remain allegations, and Tanahara is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. At today’s May 27 preliminary hearing, a judge will decide whether there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial.
