Brooklyn, NY — Two men have been charged in a federal court in Brooklyn for allegedly participating in a large transnational theft ring that purchased and resold stolen luxury items, including items linked to the December burglary of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s home.
Dmitriy Nezhinskiy, 43, and Juan Villar, 48, were charged with trafficking stolen goods through their Manhattan pawn shop. Investigators have linked Nezhinskiy to at least two members of a burglary crew involved in the December 9 break-in at the home of a “high-profile athlete in Ohio.” While the FBI has not named Burrow directly in their investigation, evidence points to his involvement.
Police reports reveal that items such as an old LSU shirt and a Bengals hat were found when the crew was arrested in Fairborn on January 10. Authorities have also tracked phone records and video footage showing Nezhinskiy’s contact with the suspects in the days leading up to the Ohio burglary.
Authorities call the burglars “tourist burglars” due to their use of temporary visas or visa waiver programs, traveling across the U.S. to target affluent communities. Nezhinskiy and Villar allegedly worked together over the past five years, buying stolen jewelry, watches, handbags, and other luxury items from these crews, mainly operating out of South America.
In a raid of Nezhinskiy and Villar’s pawn shop on Tuesday, authorities seized dozens of luxury watches, jewelry, a large sum of cash, and marijuana. Further searches at Nezhinskiy’s storage units in New Jersey uncovered additional stolen items, including sports memorabilia, high-end handbags, and wine.
The December 9 burglary was part of a larger wave of break-ins targeting professional athletes, including stars like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In January, four Chilean nationals were arrested in connection to similar burglaries, with some items believed to be stolen from Burrow’s home found in their possession.
The FBI warned professional leagues in December about a rise in burglaries affecting athletes. At least nine professional athletes, including Burrow, Mahomes, Luka Dončić, and others, have been targeted in these ongoing thefts.
