CrimeApr 19, 2022
Man Found Guilty of Running $20M Retail Theft RingCrimeApr 20, 2022
Queens Jeweler Charged With Money Laundering
Stanislav Yakubov allegedly fenced goods for a crew that committed more than a dozen armed robberies.
New York—A New York City jeweler has been charged with money laundering after allegedly fencing goods for an area robbery crew.
According to court documents, between about October 2019 and November 2020, a violent group committed more than a dozen armed robberies of jewelers and luxury watch owners in the New York City metropolitan area.
The items stolen included a $500,000 Richard Mille watch and a diamond bracelet worth $28,000.
According to the indictment, Stanislav Yakubov, or “Steve,” a jeweler who sells watches and jewelry at a store in the Jamaica Colosseum Mall in Queens, New York, allegedly acted as a fence for the stolen watches.
He has been charged with one count of money laundering.
Officials arrested Victor Rivera in November 2020 for his role in the robberies. He was indicted that month.
According to court documents, Rivera pleaded guilty to committing or attempting to commit robberies of luxury watches earlier this year.
Johan Araujo, 40, has also been charged in connection to the robberies. He was arrested last July and has maintained his plea of not guilty, according to the court docket. His trial is set for Sept. 19.
Court documents state that one of the men has been cooperating with officials to identify what happened and who was involved in the robberies.
Yakubov’s attorney, Oliver Storch, said in a statement to National Jeweler that Yakubov is “devastated and shocked by these false allegations,” especially since he was the victim of an assault and robbery at his jewelry store.
He also said: “The cooperator’s credibility is highly suspect because they claim to have met with Mr. Yakubov in NYC when he was actually out of the country on a documented family vacation. We ask the public to withhold judgment until these allegations are properly addressed and resolved in the appropriate forum.”
In March 2021, the Jewelers’ Security Alliance issued a warning about a spate of high-end watch robberies in New York and Los Angeles, sharing the following safety tips for jewelers:
— Avoid conducting jewelry business in a public place;
— Do not resist in the event of an armed robbery; and
— Be mindful of the special risks involved in wearing expensive watches, and limit that risk accordingly.
Related stories will be right here …
According to court documents, between about October 2019 and November 2020, a violent group committed more than a dozen armed robberies of jewelers and luxury watch owners in the New York City metropolitan area.
The items stolen included a $500,000 Richard Mille watch and a diamond bracelet worth $28,000.
According to the indictment, Stanislav Yakubov, or “Steve,” a jeweler who sells watches and jewelry at a store in the Jamaica Colosseum Mall in Queens, New York, allegedly acted as a fence for the stolen watches.
He has been charged with one count of money laundering.
Officials arrested Victor Rivera in November 2020 for his role in the robberies. He was indicted that month.
According to court documents, Rivera pleaded guilty to committing or attempting to commit robberies of luxury watches earlier this year.
Johan Araujo, 40, has also been charged in connection to the robberies. He was arrested last July and has maintained his plea of not guilty, according to the court docket. His trial is set for Sept. 19.
Court documents state that one of the men has been cooperating with officials to identify what happened and who was involved in the robberies.
Yakubov’s attorney, Oliver Storch, said in a statement to National Jeweler that Yakubov is “devastated and shocked by these false allegations,” especially since he was the victim of an assault and robbery at his jewelry store.
He also said: “The cooperator’s credibility is highly suspect because they claim to have met with Mr. Yakubov in NYC when he was actually out of the country on a documented family vacation. We ask the public to withhold judgment until these allegations are properly addressed and resolved in the appropriate forum.”
In March 2021, the Jewelers’ Security Alliance issued a warning about a spate of high-end watch robberies in New York and Los Angeles, sharing the following safety tips for jewelers:
— Avoid conducting jewelry business in a public place;
— Do not resist in the event of an armed robbery; and
— Be mindful of the special risks involved in wearing expensive watches, and limit that risk accordingly.
The Latest
FinancialsMay 30, 2025
Movado’s Q1 Sales Slip Amid ‘Challenging’ Retail Environment The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Tariffs & Designers: Navigating Pricing in an Unstable EnvironmentBetween tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.
CollectionsMay 30, 2025
Piece of the Week: Renato Cipullo’s ‘Hematite Blaze’ NecklaceDesigned by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.
Brought to you by
Clienteling Isn’t a Buzzword. It’s an Essential Business Model.More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Trade Court Declares Trump’s Tariffs InvalidHowever, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.
Weekly QuizMay 30, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsMay 29, 2025
Britney Spears Files Trademark for New Jewelry LineThe pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.
Supplier BulletinMay 29, 2025
Inoveo Platinum Grain, Exclusively Distributed by StullerSponsored by Stuller
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
SourcingMay 29, 2025
Grizzly Auctions 6,620-Carat EmeraldIt was featured in the miner’s latest sale, which brought in $24.8 million.
TechnologyMay 29, 2025
GemFind Launches AI Product Description SoftwareGemText AI uses artificial intelligence to generate tailored product titles, descriptions, and tags with jewelry-specific language.
MajorsMay 28, 2025
Graff Unveils New Las Vegas FlagshipThe 3,300-square foot location is the jeweler's largest store in North America.
CollectionsMay 28, 2025
NY Liberty’s 2024 Championship Rings Honor Historic WinThe WNBA team received rings imbued with meaning, from leaf motifs and its Liberty torch to the number of diamonds used.
MajorsMay 28, 2025
Andrew Rickard Named JBT PresidentA longtime executive at RDI Diamonds, Rickard has served on the JBT board for the past five years.
MajorsMay 27, 2025
MJSA to Become Part of Jewelers of America The two organizations have signed an affiliation agreement that’s expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.
AuctionsMay 27, 2025
Al Capone’s Patek Philippe Pocket Watch Back Up for AuctionThe platinum and diamond watch is part of Sotheby’s upcoming Important Watches sale.
AuctionsMay 27, 2025
182-Carat Paraíba-Type Tourmaline Sells for $487K Recovered in Mozambique, “The Kat Florence Lumina” was part of Bonhams’ Hong Kong jewelry auction held last week.
TrendsMay 27, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Candy-Colored GemstonesGet a taste of the delicious candy-like gemstones in this Amanda’s Style File.
CollectionsMay 23, 2025
Piece of the Week: Bliss Lau’s ‘Bright’ RingFrom Lau’s “Love of a Kind” series, the engagement ring was inspired by the moon and holds a different meaning depending on how it is worn.
GradingMay 23, 2025
GIA Updates Pearl Classification SystemThe lab has adjusted the scale it uses for nacre grading.
Supplier BulletinMay 22, 2025
How to Put Natural Diamonds Back in the SpotlightSponsored by GCAL by Sarine
CrimeMay 22, 2025
NY Jeweler Sentenced in Shoving Death of Colleague at IJO ShowDavid Walton will serve three years’ probation after an incident in a hotel bar led to the death of West Virginia jeweler David Ettinger.
FinancialsMay 22, 2025
Watches of Switzerland’s Full-Year U.S. Sales Climb 14% The retailer also provided an update on how the tariffs situation in the U.S. is affecting its business.
IndependentsMay 22, 2025
Adeler Jewelers Celebrates 50 YearsThe family-owned jeweler in Great Falls, Virginia, will be celebrating its golden jubilee with a year’s worth of events.
Events & AwardsMay 22, 2025
Jose Hess Design Awards Announce JudgesThe nonprofit elected five judges who will decide the winners of its design competition.
MajorsMay 22, 2025
MJSA Releases 2025-2026 Buyer’s GuideThis year’s edition includes articles on the favorite tools of notable designers, evaluating when to outsource production, and more.
CollectionsMay 21, 2025
Bulgari Highlights Its Colorful Past in Phenomenal ‘Polychroma’ CollectionThe jeweler’s high jewelry collection features extraordinary gemstones, like a 241.06-carat emerald and the world’s fourth-largest spinel.
ColumnistsMay 21, 2025
Edahn’s Take: Analyzing the 2025 ‘$100 Million Supersellers’ List In a special column for the State of the Majors, Edahn Golan breaks down what the top-performing fine jewelry sellers are doing right.
