A pawn shop owner in New York City has pleaded guilty to charges related to the sale of luxury items stolen by a national burglary crew, which included items taken from the home of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced that Dimitriy Nezhinskiy, aged 43 and residing in North Bergen, New Jersey, admitted to purchasing stolen property at a Brooklyn federal court on March 15, 2024.
Burrow’s home was burglarized in December 2022 while he played a road game against the Dallas Cowboys. An FBI complaint unsealed in February identified Burrow as “Athlete 5,” revealing that the total value of items stolen from his residence was approximately $300,000. This incident is part of a concerning trend where athletes’ homes are targeted while they are publicly engaged elsewhere. Other victims have included stars from the NFL and NBA, such as Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Luka Doncic, and Mike Conley.
Nezhinskiy faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, with sentencing yet to be scheduled. He also faces potential financial restitution of around $2.5 million and forfeiture of stolen items valued at more than $2.5 million. Additionally, because Nezhinskiy is originally from Georgia and legally residing in the U.S., he is subject to federal charges that could lead to deportation, as noted by District Judge William F. Kuntz.
Illegal Operations Exposed
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described Nezhinskiy’s actions as running a “black-market pipeline” that facilitated the organized theft of luxury goods from homes and businesses. “It was a deliberate operation that helped professional burglars prey on innocent people,” she stated.
Nezhinskiy’s co-defendant, Juan Villar, 48, who co-managed the pawn shop, previously pleaded guilty to similar charges in June 2023. The two had collaborated since 2020 as “fences,” acquiring stolen goods from outside New York. Villar, who resides in Queens, is also awaiting sentencing.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher Raia emphasized the impact of Nezhinskiy’s operations, stating, “For more than five years, Dimitriy Nezhinskiy established a demand for stolen merchandise, which allowed South American Theft Groups to profit from repeated burglaries.” These groups targeted affluent neighborhoods and jewelry vendors across the United States, leading to multiple arrests in a comprehensive investigation spanning several states.
Authorities executed searches at Nezhinskiy’s pawn shop and his storage units in New Jersey, uncovering a range of suspected stolen property, including sports memorabilia, fine art, luxury goods, and equipment commonly used in burglaries.
In February, three men connected to the burglary of Burrow’s home were indicted by a federal grand jury in Cincinnati. Burrow himself shared in the recent season of the Netflix series “Quarterback” that the burglary impacted his personal choices, leading him to cancel plans for purchasing a replica Batmobile. “I just get very uncomfortable,” Burrow remarked. “Your house is one of those [places] that should be yours.”
The investigation continues as law enforcement works to dismantle the networks behind these high-profile burglaries, emphasizing the importance of protecting both personal property and privacy for individuals in the public eye.
