A former MGA Entertainment designer who helped create the company's CarTuned line of diecast model cars is facing felony charges after allegedly loading collectibles valued at more than $1 million into his personal vehicle at the company's factory.
Former MGA Entertainment senior product designer Luis Tanahara faces felony charges after allegedly stealing over $1 million in CarTuned diecast collectibles from the company's Chatsworth factory. A preliminary hearing is set for today.
A former MGA Entertainment designer who helped create the company's CarTuned line of diecast model cars is facing felony charges after allegedly loading collectibles valued at more than $1 million into his personal vehicle at the company's factory.
Luis Tanahara, 55, of Simi Valley, was charged Tuesday with one felony count of grand theft and one felony count of receiving stolen property, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. The special allegations in the filing state the stolen property was valued at over $1 million.
According to the DA's office, Tanahara allegedly stole CarTuned collectibles valued at approximately $500,000 from a shipping container at the Chatsworth factory on Feb. 14 at around 4:30 p.m. He loaded the items into his personal vehicle, prosecutors said.
Tanahara was employed as a senior product designer for MGA Entertainment at the time of the alleged theft.
Investigators later seized more than $1 million in CarTuned collectibles from Tanahara's Simi Valley residence on March 4, the DA said.
Tanahara was not an unknown figure in the diecast car world. In a 2024 statement introducing the CarTuned product line, MGA Entertainment described him as "a known Hall of Fame diecast car designer and genuine collector."
The CarTuned line is marketed as a "creative, collectible spin on classic diecast cars," according to that same MGA statement. The cars hold particular value among hobbyists when sold in surprise "Master Packs," the DA noted.
"Diecast cars are not everyday toys or merchandise with a set retail value. They are prized collectibles with a potentially infinite value to a collector, representing a tremendous loss for the victim," District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement announcing the charges.
Tanahara was arrested and pleaded not guilty during an arraignment on April 10. He was released on his own recognizance and ordered to stay away from MGA Entertainment, according to the DA.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 27 at the Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles. The hearing will determine whether there is sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to trial.
If convicted, Tanahara faces up to six years in state prison.
Tanahara's attorney, Jonathan D. Evans, pushed back against the charges in an email to reporters.
"Mr Tanahara vigorously proclaims his innocence and is looking forward to the truth coming out in the court of law, not public opinion," Evans said.
The Chatsworth factory is one of MGA Entertainment's primary production locations in the San Fernando Valley. The company is best known globally for creating the Bratz doll line, which it is currently celebrating with a 25th anniversary campaign.
This article was generated with AI assistance.