A New York City-based proprietor of a secondhand store admitted guilt to functioning as a conduit for high-end merchandise pilfered from private residences. According to the Associated Press, this encompasses the residence of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, Joe Burrow.
Dimitriy Nezhinskiy entered a plea on a federal charge related to conspiring to accept illicit goods transported across state lines. He may face a maximum prison term of five years, in addition to restitution payments approximated at $2,500,000, and forfeiture exceeding $2,500,000.
Per the AP, he stated in court that the bulk of his business was legitimate:
“I extend my sincerest apologies for my conduct,” the 44-year-old resident of New Jersey conveyed in Brooklyn federal court. “The majority of my operations were entirely above board, and it was a prosperous enterprise.”
Burrow’s dwelling was subject to unlawful entry last December while he was spearheading the Bengals in a triumph over the Dallas Cowboys on “Monday Night Football,” constituting one episode in a series of break-ins targeting the abodes of professional athletes. A contingent of seven Chilean citizens were subsequently apprehended and formally accused of the unlawful appropriation.
The incident resulted in Burrow retracting his intention to finalize the acquisition of a Batmobile. He has also contemplated relocating residences, alluding to an infringement upon his privacy.
Authorities have accused Nezhinskiy and his fellow defendant, Juan Villar, of intentionally procuring misappropriated assets, including jewelry, timepieces, handbags, and a variety of upscale items sourced from outside the state of New York, originating from burglary teams traversing the U.S. and focusing on affluent residences.
An undercover law enforcement official purportedly executed seven controlled transactions involving purportedly pilfered assets to Nezhinskiy or Villar at their establishment, explicitly disclosing their illicit provenance before consummating the transaction. A law enforcement operation conducted at the secondhand store and Nezhinskiy’s storage facilities also uncovered substantial quantities of purportedly illicit property, encompassing high-end handbags, wine, sports-related collectibles, jewelry, artwork, and power tools, the latter of which are potentially applicable to facilitating burglaries.
From the DOJ:
“This defendant managed a clandestine distribution network, acquiring misappropriated luxury items from organized theft rings that targeted residences and commercial establishments,” stated NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “It was a premeditated undertaking that aided professional burglars in victimizing innocent individuals. Today’s admission of guilt conveys an unequivocal message: Should you derive profit from misappropriated assets, we will locate you and dismantle your operation. I wish to express my gratitude to our detectives and federal counterparts for their diligent efforts on this matter.”
Villar reportedly entered a guilty plea in June to conspiring to receive misappropriated property that had been transported in interstate commerce.
