Federal and New York City law enforcement raided a business in the city's Diamond District on Tuesday, which authorities allege was involved with a South American transnational theft group targeting wealthy homeowners nationwide.
Investigators are examining whether individuals linked to recent burglaries at the residences of high-profile athletes are connected to the alleged fencing operation. "Fencing" refers to the buying and selling of stolen goods.
One suspect was arrested Tuesday morning on West 47th Street near Sixth Avenue, while another was taken into custody later in the day. FBI agents and NYPD Major Case detectives searched a second-floor business. By evening, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York announced that two men associated with the Manhattan-based pawn shop had been arrested following a federal grand jury indictment. They face charges of conspiracy to receive stolen property and receiving stolen property, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn.
The suspects, identified as Dimitriy Nezhinskiy and Juan Villar, have not yet confirmed legal representation.
Mia Eisner-Grynberg, deputy attorney-in-charge at Federal Defenders of New York, stated via email that the defendants are expected to be arraigned Wednesday, at which point defense attorneys may be assigned. Investigators are also exploring potential connections between the break-in at the home of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and the suspects involved in the alleged fencing operation. Officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing.
According to the criminal complaint, Nezhinskiy and Villar allegedly purchased high-end stolen goods with the intent to resell them. Court records link both men to a business located at 74 W. 47th St., where they operated under the name Manhattan Gold & Diamond Buyers Inc.
The U.S. Attorney's Office asserts that Nezhinskiy and Villar are implicated in thefts across the United States, citing evidence such as phone communications between Nezhinskiy and two of the four individuals suspected of burglarizing a high-profile athlete's home in Ohio on December 9—the same day Burrow’s residence was burglarized. Court documents indicate that Ohio detectives found a Bengals hat, allegedly stolen during the break-in, inside an SUV used by the suspects. An LSU football shirt, believed to have been taken in the same burglary, was also discovered in a Chevrolet SUV after Ohio State Police stopped the vehicle on Interstate 70 on January 10 as part of the burglary investigation.
Four men from Chile face charges related to a series of coast-to-coast burglaries targeting high-end homes. They have been charged with corrupt activity, participation in a criminal gang, and possession of burglary tools, as announced by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. A state grand jury indicted them, and all four have pleaded not guilty. They are represented by the public defender's office in Clark County, which has not yet provided a comment.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that Nezhinskiy was in contact with the burglary crew less than a week before the December 9 break-in in Ohio. An FBI spokesperson in New York confirmed an arrest at the Diamond District location, based on a warrant issued by the Eastern District of New York. John Marzulli, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn, declined to comment.
The search of the 47th Street location linked to the Brooklyn defendants uncovered a substantial quantity of suspected stolen property, including dozens of high-end watches and jewels, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. A simultaneous search of New Jersey storage units owned by Nezhinskiy yielded high-end handbags, wine, sports memorabilia, jewelry, artwork, and burglary tools.
Prosecutors allege that Nezhinskiy and Villar have been facilitating the sale of stolen goods for at least five years. Their operation allegedly provided a crucial market for burglary crews from South America who traveled across the United States, primarily targeting affluent neighborhoods and jewelry vendors.
"The defendants created an illicit market and fueled demand for burglaries by South American Theft Groups and other crews by purchasing stolen watches, jewelry, and luxury items, then reselling them in their New York City store,” stated John J. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Durham emphasized that such break-ins erode the public’s sense of security and vowed to pursue transnational burglary networks.
Authorities confirmed that additional arrests were being made in Florida in connection with a South American transnational theft group suspected of targeting the homes of NFL and NBA players and other affluent individuals.
Neither the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tampa nor the FBI’s Tampa office responded to requests for comment on Tuesday.
In November, both the NFL and NBA issued security alerts warning players about break-ins, many occurring while athletes were away with their teams. The homes of NBA star Luka Dončić, as well as players like Bobby Portis and Mike Conley Jr., have been targeted. Kansas City Chiefs players have also fallen victim to these crimes.
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