Recycling Company Ordered to Pay $140.5 Million in Penalties for Defrauding California’s Bottle, Can Program

State officials have rules that Recycling Services Alliance Inc. (RSA) and its operations manager must pay $140.5 million in total penalties for defrauding California’s Beverage Container Recycling program.

RSA required to pay $86.6 million in restitution and interest, ordered by CalRecycle, for illegally filing claims for the California refund value (CRV) on bottles and cans with thousands of fabricated weight tickets. The remaining $53.9 million in payments stems from previous criminal judgments against RSA and its operation manager, Maximina Perez.

In September 2021, Perez was sentenced to seven years in prison which could be suspended if she could successfully complete five years of probation.

“This decision sends a message that criminals are held accountable for defrauding California’s Beverage Container Recycling program, which has kept 491 billion bottles and cans out of our streets and waterways,” said CalRecycle director Rachel Machi Wagoner in a statement.

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