Diamond District raid allegedly linked to burglary of Bengals QB Joe

NEW YORK — Two people were taken into federal custody Tuesday following an investigation linked to the burglary of the home of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, sources tell CBS News New York.

Prosecutors arrested and charged Dmitriy Nezhinskiy and Juan Villar with conspiracy to receive stolen property.

Nezhinskiy, 43, of North Bergen, New Jersey, and Villar, 48, of Queens, allegedly received stolen luxury goods ripped off by organized South American gangs operating across the U.S., prosecutors say. Those gangs have been targeting multimillion dollar homes nationwide — allegedly including Burrow’s.

The two are due in court Wednesday. If convicted of receipt of stolen goods, they could face up to 10 years in prison.

FBI agents executed a search warrant Tuesday at the second-floor Diamond District pawn shop the two operate, where they allegedly fenced the stolen goods. At the pawn shop, agents allegedly recovered “large quantities of suspected stolen property, including dozens of high-end watches and jewelry.”

More allegedly stolen property was also found at storage units belonging to Nezhinskiy in New Jersey.

Tuesday’s arrests come after four Chileans were arrested last month and accused in the burglary of Burrow’s home, along with numerous others. Burrow’s Cincinnati home was broken into while he was playing an away game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Last October, the homes of Kansas City Chiefs superstars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were broken into days apart.

“An essential market of the stolen goods,” prosecutors say

The arrests came after authorities said an undercover detective conducted seven sales of purportedly stolen goods with the two at their Diamond District business.

“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,” prosecutors said.

“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 re-selling them in their New York City store,” U.S. Attorney Durham said in a statement.

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“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,” FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy said.

“We will not tolerate crime of any kind in New York, whether it be street crime, retail theft, or these organized operations that target residential homes to steal and resell luxury goods,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

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