Cal-Maine Foods, a top producer of eggs known for using other companies to ship its goods, mysteriously lost 280,000 eggs, only to discover they had been stolen by thieves intent on earning a ransom.
The story began on April 11, when a truck driver picked up 280,000 large and extra-large brown eggs from a farm in Maryland owned by Cal-Maine, a top producer that was founded by a Mississippi farmer known as “The Big Chicken,” according to The Washington Post.
But the eggs never arrived at their destination, a farm in Florida.
After receiving a call about a theft, a Maryland sheriff’s office dispatcher asked if the whole freight had been stolen.
“Only took the cargo” valued at about $100,000, the male caller responded, adding, “They took — basically — they took a whole trailer full of eggs.”
The eggs were reportedly delivered to a location in Staten Island, after which they all disappeared.
With prices soaring, eggs have been reported stolen from porches and farm stands. At one point, federal agents at the border were seizing eggs more often than fentanyl.
Then, 280,000 eggs went missing in Maryland. https://t.co/kSFvt06Z0x pic.twitter.com/GR98EgjVH9
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) June 19, 2025
After they arrived in Staten Island, the freight company that had been booked to transport the eggs called to confirm delivery of them, only to discover that whoever had picked up the eggs from the farm in Maryland hadn’t been the person who was supposed to pick them up.
Do you eat eggs at least once a week?
What happened?
According to the Post, it was all part of a plot concocted by a con artist who goes by the name “Bernardo.” He reportedly gained access to the eggs by posing as a legitimate trucking company while applying with the freight company to handle the shipment to Florida.
He then hired an unknowing dupe driver to fulfill the shipment by picking up the eggs and delivering them to Staten Island.
When Minh Dang — a man who worked for the freight company — tried to contact “Bernardo” after the shipment failed to reach Florida, he initially had no luck.
“Dang called Bernardo. No answer,” the Post noted. “He emailed, asking for proof of delivery. Dang started to panic. It was the week before Easter. The eggs should have already been hard-boiled and dunked in dyes.”
“At 3:45 p.m. on April 15, he tried a new tactic, emailing: ‘You will be fine[d] $200 for not sending paper work in time. This fine will increase the longer we wait,’” the report continued.
This time Bernardo replied … with a demand for a ransom.
“You need to zelle or wire $7500 if you want your eggs,” he wrote.
It’s now suspected that, after arriving in Staten Island, the eggs were sold to bodegas in New York City. As for the investigation, it’s reportedly reached a dead end.
All this happened as Cal-Maine itself faced an ongoing investigation into its allegedly shady business practices.
“In the weeks leading to the heist, Cal-Maine itself had come under investigation,” the Post noted. “The Justice Department had launched a formal inquiry into the spike in egg prices — and was specifically looking into Cal-Maine’s business practices.”
Meanwhile, farmers reportedly accused Cal-Maine of engaging in price gouging, while lawmakers demanded to know more about the company’s record profits.
Cal-Maine Foods, the largest US Egg Producer, doubled its revenue last quarter.
Makes sense because…
Prices went up so higher revenues are expected.
But with higher costs, I would expect similar profits.
Nope.
Their Profits jumped 718% last quarter. 😳
Price Gouging. pic.twitter.com/oHXoYIpCJ8
— Tyler Wright (@DefiningWealth) March 30, 2023
Cal-Maine has for its part remained quiet about the theft by issuing no public statement and avoiding interviews.
But last month, Cal-Maine chief executive Sherman Miller did address the price gouging accusation while speaking with The Wall Street Journal.
“Someone has to get blamed for everything,” he said. “They’re looking for a villain. We don’t control the power to lower egg prices.”
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