Brooklyn Men Plead Not Guilty in Stolen Sports Memorabilia Case

Two men charged with acting as middlemen to sell stolen property from professional athletes and wealthy homeowners have pleaded not guilty in a Brooklyn federal court. Dimitriy Nezhinskiy and Juan Villar were accused of conspiracy and receipt of stolen goods, including art, jewelry, and sports memorabilia.

Prosecutors claim the duo created a marketplace for residential burglaries across the US, with estimated losses totaling $5 million. The men’s pawn shop in Manhattan’s Diamond District and storage units in New Jersey held many of the stolen items.

Nezhinskiy was released on a $1 million bond secured by his father’s assets, who owns two properties in New Jersey and works multiple jobs. Villar, however, faced a lower initial bond of $250,000, which was deemed insufficient by Magistrate Judge Lara Eshkenazi. His wife agreed to secure part of the bond, but he will remain detained until more funds are secured.

Source: https://abc7ny.com/post/2-men-due-court-arrests-tied-pro-athelete-burglaries-during-fbis-diamond-district-raid-new-york-city/15867838