Cargo theft involving AI hardware and fraudulent identities rises

Cargo security firm Overhaul reports that more than $150 million in artificial intelligence (AI) hardware has been stolen during transit this year. The majority of these thefts, approximately 92%, are executed through deception rather than physical force. Criminals utilize fake carrier identities, forged paperwork, and spoofed communications to impersonate legitimate freight partners.

In one notable incident, thieves reportedly used staged highway crashes to disable off-duty police escorts guarding multimillion-dollar server loads. Investigators also noted that stolen export-controlled gear is frequently routed to China, where restricted servers can sell for nearly double their U.S. retail value.

Separate federal charges have been brought against Nursulton Izzatulloevich Khaydarov, 33, in connection with an alleged cargo theft conspiracy. Authorities claim the scheme involved at least 24 cargo loads with an estimated retail value exceeding $12 million. The tactics allegedly included the use of multiple fraudulent commercial driver’s licenses and company identities to exploit the trust of established trucking firms.