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Dimitry Nezhinskiy along with Juan Villar, a New York resident, ran a pawn shop in the Diamond District that worked with South American theft groups, purchasing stolen watches, jewelry and other luxury items and then reselling them in their store, John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York said.
Nezhinskiy and Villar regularly served as “fences” for burglary crews based out of South America who traveled around the United States committing burglaries, typically targeting wealthier neighborhoods or jewelry vendors, and stealing luxury accessories, with $5 million in stolen goods, the Department of Justice said in court.
The feds say phone records and video surveillance links Nezhinskiy to at least two members of a four-man burglary crew believed to be involved in the burglary of the home of Burrow. Three Chilean men were recently charged for the burglary, which occurred while Burrow and the Bengals were playing the Cowboys on Monday Night Football. Luxury luggage and jewelry were taken in the burglary, the Southern District of Ohio said.
Between October 2022 and January 2024, an undercover detective conducted seven controlled sales of purported stolen property, including high-end handbags and luxury accessories, to Nezhinskiy or Villar, or both, at their business, the DOJ said. During these controlled sales, the undercover detective provided the defendants with items that the undercover told the defendants had been stolen, and received cash in exchange for the stolen goods, the DOJ said.
A search of their pawn shop on Tuesday, Feb. 4, led to the seizure of dozen of high-end watches and jewelry, large quantities of cash and marijuana, the DOJ said. A search of a storage unit Nezhinsky had in New Jersey turned up large quantities of luxury goods and clothing, including high-end handbags, wine, sports memorabilia, jewelry, artwork and power tools consistent with those commonly used in burglaries and opening safes, the DOJ said.
Nezhinsky and Villar face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of receipt of stolen goods, the DOJ said.
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