A Manhattan pawn shop owner pleaded guilty on Friday to conspiring to receive stolen property linked to a series of burglaries targeting wealthy homes across the United States, including the residence of NFL star Joe Burrow.
Dimitriy Nezhinskiy, 44, admitted in Brooklyn federal court that he knowingly bought stolen watches, jewelry, and other luxury items to resell in his pawn shop. He said he did not know the items were stolen until after his arrest.
“I am very sorry for my actions,” Nezhinskiy said. “Most of my business was completely legitimate, and it was a good business.”
Nezhinskiy faces up to five years in federal prison, as well as paying about $2.5 million in restitution and forfeiting over $2.5 million in goods. His sentencing date has not yet been set.
Prosecutors said Nezhinskiy operated a black-market network, buying stolen goods from organized burglary crews who targeted homes of prominent athletes and businesses. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch called it “a deliberate operation that helped professional burglars prey on innocent people.”
The pawn shop, located in Manhattan’s Diamond District, was run by Nezhinskiy and Juan Villar, who pleaded guilty last month to the same charge and will be sentenced in December.
The theft crews, many from South America, struck while athletes were away at games, including homes of NFL players Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Joe Burrow, as well as NBA stars Luka Doncic and Mike Conley Jr.
Nezhinskiy and Villar were arrested in February after an FBI raid. Authorities found a large amount of suspected stolen property at the pawn shop and storage units in New Jersey owned by Nezhinskiy. Items recovered included luxury handbags, sports memorabilia, artwork, jewelry, and tools used for burglaries.
The break-in at Joe Burrow’s home occurred on December 9, 2024, while the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback was playing an away game in Dallas. The home was found ransacked with a shattered bedroom window. Olivia Ponton, a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, discovered the scene and notified police.
Burrow later expressed feeling deeply violated by the incident, noting that private information was exposed beyond what he wanted shared.
Police arrested the burglars the following month after finding them in a vehicle containing stolen items from Burrow’s home, including a Bengals hat and LSU shirt—Burrow’s college team. Photos found on the suspects showed them displaying stolen goods, with one wearing jewelry featuring Burrow’s initials and jersey number.
Source: CBS
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