Did you know that after defaulting on a $200k loan, Cali’s Michelle Mack turned to the dark side and allegedly orchestrated an $8 million makeup crime ring? This unexpected journey led her from business owner to accused racketeer in the blink of an eye. With her underworld connections and flair for deception, Mack’s story reads like a Hollywood script gone rogue.
Mack’s life took a drastic turn when she defaulted on a $200k loan, leading to financial turmoil that forced her to sell off her legitimate businesses. This event marked the beginning of her transition into the illicit world of crime.
Driven by desperation and a thirst for power, Mack orchestrated the creation of an infamous makeup crime ring. This operation not only allowed her to amass wealth but also solidified her position as a feared ‘queenpin’ within the criminal hierarchy.
Accused of running an $8 million racket, Mack found herself embroiled in legal battles that threatened to expose the inner workings of her criminal empire. Despite facing mounting evidence against her, she remained defiant and continued to operate with impunity.
The allegations surrounding Mack’s illicit activities shed light on the dark underbelly of organized crime in California. Her audacious exploits and cunning tactics have captivated both law enforcement officials and the public alike.
Former friends said the glamorous blonde always had a plan to make a quick buck and was already running a small operation even before she married Kenneth Mack in 2007.
Before she was sued in 2013, Mack ran an online business selling hand painted wineglasses and delicate glass/crystal nail files imported from the Czech Republic.
‘It was actually a very big operation even before I got there in 2015 or 2016 and she employed more than 10 people,’ a former employee, Michelle Hermann, told DailyMail.com.
‘At the time, hand painted wineglasses were very popular and we sold wholesale to a lot of other stores.
Hermann added, ‘As far as I knew, she ran a legitimate business back then, so I was pretty shocked when I heard what she was recently arrested for.’
The mother of three- who was arrested on December 6- is facing multiple federal charges for allegedly paying others to steal cosmetics from stores like Ulta, Sephora and Bloomingdales.
Mack then allegedly resold the stolen goods at deep discounts- as much as 50% off- on her online Amazon store, which has since been shut down.
Amazon told investigators the outfit racked up sales worth $8 million since 2012, including nearly $2 million in 2022 alone.
Mack’s gang, dubbed the ‘California Girls’ by investigators, operated in more than a dozen states and targeted at least 231 Ulta stores.
Investigators said they found more than 100,00 items in the Macks’ Bonsall garage worth about $387,000 when they were arrested in December.
Mack, her husband Kenneth and seven others also have been charged in connection with the theft scheme.
Hermann said Michelle was ‘barely there’ when she owned the nail file and wineglass business in Arizona around 2015.
‘She was very nice when I worked for her, doing invoicing and other things, but she wasn’t in the office a lot,’ Hermann said of Mack.
‘A lot of people have double lives that we just don’t know about, but she definitely didn’t sell any make-up or anything like that back then.’
However, financial troubles started earlier for the Macks.
By 2010, Michelle defaulted on loans she took out against her Arizona home, according to court documents obtained by DailyMail.com.
The Macks were evicted in July 2010 from their home in Chandler, Arizona after they failed to pay their mortgage.
They almost lost another home about a month later in Higley, Arizona after defaulting on another $200,000 loan, according to court records.
The bills continued to pile up for the couple.
In 2013, a judge ruled they had to pay the nearly $200,000 that Michelle borrowed to operate her novelty wineglass and nail file business.
Hermann said she eventually bought the glass and crystal nail file business portion of 95 & Sunny Inc. from Mack around 2017.
In the whirlwind of Michelle Mack’s makeup crime ring saga, one thing is clear – the beauty industry isn’t always pretty! From a loan default to an alleged $8 million racket, it’s been a wild ride. But hey, at least she knows how to make those eyeliners sharp enough to cut through the drama!
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