Manhattan pawn shop owner pleads guilty to role in burglary at Joe Burrow's home, others

New York Times

5 hours ago

The owner of a Manhattan pawn shop pleaded guilty Friday to conspiring to receive stolen property transported in interstate commerce, which includes a link to the burglary of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow's home, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of New York.
Advertisement
The man, 43-year-old Dimitriy Nezhinskiy, admitted knowingly purchasing stolen watches, jewelry and other high-end goods to resell them in his pawn shop. The proceeding, held before District Judge William F. Kuntz, concluded with Nezhinskiy's facing a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment as well as restitution of about $2.5 million and forfeiture of more than that threshold.
His sentencing date has not yet been determined.
Nezhinskiy, from the country of Georgia, who legally resides in the U.S., faces federal charges and possible deportation, Kuntz noted.
'The defendant's criminal conduct, purchasing items stolen from homes and businesses nationwide, provided a vital market for South American Theft Groups and other criminals to sell the proceeds of their crimes,' U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella said. 'Our office and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to ensuring that those who facilitate the victimization of people and businesses are brought to justice.'
Nezhinskiy's actions span about five years, between 2020 and 2025, when he worked in tandem with his co-defendant, Juan Villar, a 48-year-old who co-managed the store and June 16 pleaded guilty to the same charge, according to the release, which also said the two worked with 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.
Nezhinskiy and Villar regularly served as 'fences' for South American Theft Groups, 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 such as watches, jewelry and handbags, according to the release. Evidence linked Nezhinskiy and Villar to thefts around the country, including at least two dozen residential or commercial burglaries across the U.S. between 2019 and 2025, one of those being Burrow's home.
Burrow was a victim of a home burglary in December while playing an away game against the Dallas Cowboys. No one was injured, but police couldn't immediately determine which items were stolen from the home. The break-in came two months after Kansas City Chiefs stars Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes' homes were burglarized.
Advertisement
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 Manhattan Diamond District business, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. During the transactions, the undercover detective provided the two defendants with items that the undercover told the defendants had been stolen, and received cash in exchange for the stolen goods.
Police also found luxury goods and clothing, not limited to jewelry, high-end handbags and sports memorabilia, in their search of storage units owned by Nezhinskiy in New Jersey.
'This defendant ran a black-market pipeline, buying stolen luxury goods from organized theft crews that targeted homes and businesses,' said New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. 'It was a deliberate operation that helped professional burglars prey on innocent people.'
Three others were arrested in connection with the burglaries involving Burrow's home and were indicted by a federal grand jury in Cincinnati in February, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio.