A New York pawnshop owner has confessed to dealing in high-value items that were part of a nationwide theft operation, including items stolen from Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s home in the past year.
Dimitriy Nezhinskiy, 43, entered a guilty plea in Brooklyn federal court to a single charge of conspiracy to receive stolen property, which encompassed a variety of luxury watches, jewelry, and handbags, as reported by the Associated Press.
Burrow was among a group of well-known athletes victimized by what the FBI identified as a South American theft ring.
At the time of the burglary in December, while Burrow played an away game in Dallas, approximately $300,000 worth of valuables were taken from his Ohio residence.
Notably, his teammates, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, and NBA players Luka Doncic and Mike Conley also fell prey to this string of robberies.
Three suspects were arrested and charged in February for multiple break-ins, including the one at Burrow’s home, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
While Nezhinskiy’s sentencing date remains undecided, he could face a maximum of five years in prison and potential fines up to $2.5 million in restitution.
District Judge William F. Kunz noted that legal residents from New Jersey could also face deportation following these events.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tish commented, “The defendant has been involved in a system that purchases stolen luxury goods and feeds a black market operation aimed at homes and businesses,” adding that it was a systematic issue allowing professional thieves to exploit ordinary people.
Juan Vijarra, 48, a pawnbroker associated with Nezhinskiy, pleaded guilty to the same charge in June, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
FBI assistant director Christopher Raia remarked, “For over five years, Nezhinskiy has created a demand for stolen items, enabling South American thieves to continue their criminal activities.”
Although Nezhinskiy and Villar have not been directly charged with robbery, a search by New Jersey State Police at a pawn shop and storage units linked to Nezhinskiy revealed suspicions of stolen memorabilia, artwork, and other luxury goods.
The investigation also uncovered power tools that are typically associated with burglaries and safecracking.
In a recent season of Netflix’s “Quarterback,” Burrow shared that a previous break-in led him to reconsider a purchase of a replica “Batmobile.” He expressed discomfort with the invasion of privacy, saying, “My life is quite public due to my job, but certain aspects of it, like your home, should be private.”
