New York City, NY – Two individuals have been apprehended by federal authorities for allegedly orchestrating a scheme that targeted the homes of American professional athletes in South America. Dimitriy Nezhinskiy, 43, and Juan Villar, 48, were accused of engaging in a conspiracy to receive stolen goods as part of an illicit operation involving fencing. Their arrest follows an FBI raid on a pawn shop situated in Manhattan’s Diamond District. The suspects are scheduled to make a court appearance in federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday.
The Department of Justice defines fencing as the act of purchasing stolen items with the knowledge that they are illicit, and subsequently reselling them to create a market around the stolen merchandise. According to U.S. Attorney John Durham, Nezhinskiy and Villar allegedly facilitated an illegal market that fueled demand for burglaries by South American Theft Groups. This criminal operation involved the acquisition and subsequent resale of stolen luxury items such as jewelry, watches, and other valuables in their store located in New York City.
Court documents unveiled on Tuesday revealed that between 2020 and 2025, the defendants conspired to purchase stolen property transported from outside the state of New York, including high-end items like jewelry, watches, handbags, and other luxury goods. Prosecutors disclosed that Nezhinskiy and Villar acted as fences for burglary crews hailing from South America, who traveled across the U.S. to commit thefts in affluent neighborhoods and from jewelry vendors, specializing in stealing luxury accessories.
Authorities noted that evidence, including phone records and surveillance footage, linked Nezhinskiy to a burglary crew involved in breaking into the home of a high-profile athlete in Ohio on December 9, 2024. Nezhinskiy was reportedly in contact with the crew less than a week before the burglary, as per records. Following the execution of search warrants at the suspects’ business premises in Midtown and Nezhinskiy’s storage units in New Jersey, law enforcement seized a significant amount of suspected stolen property, ranging from high-end watches and jewelry to sports memorabilia and artwork.
Nezhinskiy and Villar are each facing potential sentences of up to 10 years in prison if convicted for their involvement in the fencing operation. The FBI recently issued a warning to professional sports leagues in the U.S. about organized theft groups based in South America targeting the homes of prominent athletes. The burglaries, planned in advance to coincide with the absence of the athletes, have resulted in the loss of high-value items like designer handbags, jewelry, watches, and cash.
Since September, there have been several reported incidents of burglaries at the residences of sports stars, including NBA guard Mike Conley Jr., NBA forward Karl Anthony Towns, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis, Dallas Stars hockey player Tyler Seguin, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, and former Dallas Mavericks forward Luka Doncic. The string of thefts has put a spotlight on the security challenges faced by high-profile athletes off the field or court, with authorities urging increased vigilance and precautionary measures to safeguard their homes and valuables.