CrimeDec 15, 2021
Customs Seizes $3M in Fake Designer Jewelry, ScarvesCrimeJan 06, 2022
America’s Auction Channel Employee Arrested in Jewelry Theft Scheme
The employee was in charge of jewelry intake and allegedly gave stolen items to her boyfriend to pawn.
An employee of America’s Auction Channel and her boyfriend have been charged in a scheme that involved the theft and pawning of $100,000 and $200,000 worth of jewelry from the network.
St. Petersburg, Fla.—Broadcasting out of Florida, America’s Auction Channel hosts live auctions, televised and live-streamed six days a week, offering everything from jewels and gemstones to coins and fossils to the highest bidder.
When jewelry worth between $100,000 and $200,000 was noted as missing, the authorities were called.
After an investigation, America’s Auction Channel employee Monique Bigelow, 36, and her boyfriend, Reco Wallace, 34, were arrested and charged by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office with “scheme to defraud.”
Bigelow was in charge of receiving and intaking the company’s jewelry, as per court documents, and was allegedly misreporting the amounts and values to remove items from inventory and keep them for herself to pawn.
The alleged siphoning off of items went on for six months, beginning in May 2020 and continuing until November 2020.
Related stories will be right here …
When jewelry worth between $100,000 and $200,000 was noted as missing, the authorities were called.
After an investigation, America’s Auction Channel employee Monique Bigelow, 36, and her boyfriend, Reco Wallace, 34, were arrested and charged by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office with “scheme to defraud.”
Bigelow was in charge of receiving and intaking the company’s jewelry, as per court documents, and was allegedly misreporting the amounts and values to remove items from inventory and keep them for herself to pawn.
The alleged siphoning off of items went on for six months, beginning in May 2020 and continuing until November 2020.
Court documents state that a manager was able to identify several pieces of jewelry that had been pawned as belonging to the company. Neither Bigelow nor Wallace was given permission to pawn the items, the manager said.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office started the case by investigating Wallace after he had been recorded making “exorbitant amounts of pawn transaction,” as per court documents, including several “unique” pieces of jewelry.
Investigators spotted Wallace driving a 2007 Chevrolet Impala registered to Bigelow and later made the connection.
Wallace has been arrested several times for a variety of charges, including robbery and grand theft of a motor vehicle, as per sheriff’s office records.
The two were taken to the Pinellas County Jail on Dec. 27 on a charge of scheme to defraud. They are being held on $100,000 bonds.
America’s Auction Channel did not respond to National Jeweler’s request for comment on the case, but company founder and owner Jeremiah Hartman told the Tampa Bay Times that Bigelow was first hired in 2016 but then laid off, possibly by a department head, though he did not recall it being for an “atrocious” reason. She was rehired in the summer of 2018.
Another employee had lost his job after being falsely accused of stealing the missing jewelry, said Hartman, who urged fellow business owners to “trust, but verify.”
Hartman started the network in 2001 as a jewelry auction channel but later expanded its offerings.
More on Crime
The Latest
Events & AwardsDec 20, 2024
Two Participants Complete Inaugural Ella Klein InternshipJamie Dunton and Gabriella Botelho are the first graduates of the program, created by the WJA Foundation and Julius Klein Diamonds.
CollectionsDec 20, 2024
Piece of the Week: Retrouvaí’s Ring for CharityIn the spirit of giving, Retrouvaí will donate $4,000 from the sale of this ring to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
IndependentsDec 19, 2024
Michigan’s DeVries Jewelers Unveils New Location in Time for the HolidaysCo-owner Dan DeVries shared what it’s like moving into a space triple the size of its old store and how it feels to be a “real jeweler” now.
Brought to you by
De Beers Group Launches Holiday Campaign for Natural Diamonds‘Forever Present’ campaign revives the iconic A Diamond is Forever tagline and celebrates the diamond dream.
CollectionsDec 19, 2024
State Property Transforms Spain’s Generalife Gardens into JewelryAlong with the latest “Gardens” collection, the brand has released limited-edition designs offering more indulgent pieces.
Weekly QuizDec 19, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingDec 19, 2024
The Second-Largest Diamond Ever Found Now Has a Name The 2,488-carat diamond recovered from a mine in Botswana has been dubbed “Motswedi” while its 1,094-carat sibling is “Seriti.”
SourcingDec 19, 2024
Gemfields Reports Record Ruby Auction Results Despite Challenges at SourceThe average price per carat hit a record high for the miner, which said it remains unaffected by the conflict in Mozambique.
Brought to you by
Advocacy and Excellence: How Jewelers of America Is Committed to Elevating Our Industry For over a century, Jewelers of America has been the voice of the industry and valuable resource to jewelers across the country.
AuctionsDec 18, 2024
Alexandrite Ring Sells for Record-Setting $1.9M at Sotheby’sThe nearly 17-carat stone made history for the color-change gem that, according to the auction house, is experiencing a “notable surge” in the market.
WatchesDec 18, 2024
Historic Titanic Pocket Watch Winds Its Way Back to Tiffany & Co. More than a century after survivors gifted a Tiffany timepiece to the captain of the ship that rescued them, the jeweler has reclaimed it.
TechnologyDec 18, 2024
Picchiotti Utilizes AI in ‘Spotlight’ Video CampaignThe videos highlight how pieces from the “Xpandable” and “Reversible Xpandable” collections put the wearer in the spotlight.
IndependentsDec 18, 2024
Industry Veteran Steve Feldman Set to RetireFeldman reflected on 45 years in the jewelry industry and clarified that it’s not a total retirement.
Events & AwardsDec 17, 2024
Chanel to Receive Gem Award for High Jewelry ExcellenceThe luxury brand is being honored for excellence in high jewelry design in its “Haute Joaillerie Sport” collection.
SourcingDec 17, 2024
Frank Circelli, Founder of Gem Shopping Network, Dies at 75Circelli was a pioneer in the world of TV shopping who is remembered for his passion for gemstones and his big personality.
AuctionsDec 17, 2024
Blue Diamond Fetches $8.8M at Christie’sThe nearly 6-carat stone headlined the recent jewelry auction, which also featured Mica Ertegun’s jewelry.
TrendsDec 16, 2024
Marion Fasel’s New Book Delves Into the History of Engagement Rings“The History of Diamond Engagement Rings: A True Romance” is a 128-page small-format book containing more than 165 images.
WatchesDec 16, 2024
Take a Look Inside the New Rolex Boutique on Rodeo DriveGearys opened a 6,200-square-foot Rolex store with a design that pays homage to the brand’s connection to the ocean.
GradingDec 16, 2024
GCAL By Sarine Expands 8X to 2 More Fancy Shapes The diamond cut grade is now available for marquise- and pear-shaped diamonds.
SourcingDec 16, 2024
Diamonds Do Good Announces 2025 Award RecipientsDDG said the honorees’ business practices embody a commitment to positive social impact, industry innovation, and community empowerment.
TrendsDec 13, 2024
Selena Gomez Said ‘Forever Begins Now’ to Marquise Diamond Engagement RingEstimates on the size and value of the solitaire diamond, which is mounted on a diamond pavé-set yellow gold band, vary.
TrendsDec 13, 2024
Piece of the Week: Martin Katz’s Tanzanite Drops These half-moon tanzanite earrings totaling 25 carats are part of a special trunk show taking place this weekend in Dallas.
Recorded WebinarsDec 13, 2024
Watch: The Highs and Lows of 2024The National Jeweler editors recap the top news, the best jewels, and their favorite stories of the year.
AuctionsDec 12, 2024
Tom Brady’s Watches Top $4M at Sotheby’s AuctionThe highest-grossing lot of the sale was the retired QB’s Rolex Paul Newman Daytona “John Player Special.”
SourcingDec 12, 2024
Grizzly Emerald Auction Garners $22.4MRecent expansion initiatives at the Zambian emerald mine have shown strong production numbers, said Grizzly founder Abdoulaye Ndiaye.
MajorsDec 12, 2024
Mark Henry Appoints New Director of SalesCarrie Forman joins the brand to guide it into the next phase of growth with major and independent retailers in the U.S. and abroad.
SourcingDec 12, 2024
De Beers Announces 2024 ‘Shining Light’ Award WinnersThe competition awarded 12 designers, each from a country where De Beers recovers diamonds, with business support and tuition assistance.
CollectionsDec 12, 2024
The Jared Atelier x Vera Wang Collection Emphasizes EleganceThe high jewelry collection features 14 one-of-a-kind pieces, with serpent and ribbon motifs winding their way through the collection.
