Dimitriy Nezhinskiy, 43, of North Bergen, New Jersey, and Juan Villar, 48, of Queens, New York, have been charged with conspiracy to receive stolen property, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced on Tuesday. The two men are accused of purchasing stolen luxury goods, including jewelry, watches, handbags, and other high-end items transported across state lines.
Between 2020 and 2025, Nezhinskiy and Villar conspired with others to receive stolen property, acting as “fences” for burglary crews operating in South America. These crews traveled across the U.S. committing burglaries, frequently targeting affluent neighborhoods and jewelry vendors, according to court documents.
The investigation links Nezhinskiy and Villar to multiple thefts nationwide, including crimes committed by Bryan Leandro Herrera Maldonado, a burglar involved in at least 16 residential burglaries across the U.S. between 2019 and 2020. Furthermore, phone records and surveillance footage connect Nezhinskiy to a burglary crew involved in the December 2024 theft of a high-profile athlete in Ohio.
Between October 2022 and January 2024, undercover investigators made seven controlled sales of stolen luxury handbags and accessories to Nezhinskiy and Villar at their Manhattan business in the Diamond District. In these transactions, the undercover detective informed the defendants the items were stolen, and the defendants paid in cash.
If convicted of receiving stolen goods, Nezhinskiy and Villar face up to 10 years in prison. The charges are merely allegations, and both men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
