BroBible
Two owners of a pawn shop have been arrested for allegedly selling stolen items from the homes of professional athletes, including Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Prosecutors say the two men ran a fencing operation for South American theft groups that are responsible for a recent series of home burglaries.
Prosecutors claim Dimitriy Nezhinskiy, 43, and Juan Villar, 48, were allegedly selling the stolen items at a pawn shop in Manhattan’s Diamond District. Nezhinskiy was also linked to the burglary that occurred at Joe Burrow’s home on Dec. 9, 2024.
The two men were charged with conspiracy to receive stolen property and receipt of stolen property. Nezhinskiy was arrested in New Jersey, while Villar was taken into custody in Manhattan. They are both expected to appear in court for an arraignment on Wednesday. If convicted of receipt of stolen goods, they each face up to 10 years in prison.
“As alleged, the defendants created an illicit market and fueled demand for burglaries by South American Theft Groups and other crews around the country by purchasing stolen watches, jewelry and other luxury items, and then reselling them in their New York City store,” U.S. Attorney John Durham said in a statement.
“For almost five years, Dimitriy Nezhinskiy and Juan Villar allegedly served as unlawful brokers to perpetuate the sale of stolen luxury items by purchasing them from burglary crews. The defendants’ alleged actions incentivized highly organized South American Theft Groups to continue their meticulous looting scheme against a myriad of affluent residences and businesses across the country. With our law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to dismantle any criminal activity curated to capitalize on victims’ losses and establish an economic demand for ill-obtained merchandise within our city,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.
As alleged in the indictment, between approximately 2020 and 2025, the defendants conspired with each another and others to receive and purchase stolen property, including jewelry, watches, handbags and assorted luxury items that had been stolen outside of the state of New York and transported into New York. As detailed in court filings, 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. Nezhinskiy and Villar’s operation provided an essential market for the stolen goods, perpetuating the dangerous criminal activities of the burglary and theft crews composed largely of foreign nationals.
For example, evidence links Nezhinskiy and Villar to thefts around the country, including crimes committed by Bryan Leandro Herrera Maldonado, a prolific burglar who committed at least 16 residential burglaries across the United States between 2019 and 2020. Additionally, phone records and video surveillance links Nezhinskiy to at least two members of a four-man burglary crew believed to be involved in the December 9, 2024 burglary of a high-profile athlete in Ohio, and showed Nezhinskiy in contact with that crew less than one week before the burglary in...
