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