Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
CrimeSep 08, 2016
Jewelry Store Manager Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft
Carlos Torres, of Romano’s Jewelers, was charged in a scheme to defraud Marines by obtaining their personal information and then adding unauthorized charges to their store credit accounts.
San Diego--One of the jewelry store employees charged in a scheme designed to defraud active duty military service personnel has pleaded guilty in the case.
According to NBC 7 San Diego, Carlos Torres, a Romano’s Jewelers store manager, copped to charges of identity theft in a California court this week.
Torres, along with Romano’s Jewelers owner Ramil (Randy) Abalkhad and store employee Nellie Cha Noland, was first charged in the case in March 2015 in California Superior Court following a criminal investigation by the U.S. Marine Corps.
According to the original complaint, Abalkhad told Noland to obtain the social security numbers of active duty military personnel who were customers of Romano’s Jewelers and had credit accounts with the store. Then, Abalkhad told Noland to ask Kymani Tate, who was a Marine at that time, to use the social security numbers to reset the passwords of his fellow Marines’ Defense Finance Account Service (DFAS) MyPay accounts. MyPay functions like a bank account and can be directly linked to other financial accounts so money can be withdrawn to pay bills.
After the passwords were changed, the MyPay accounts were accessed so unauthorized payments could be made to Romano’s Jewelers, court papers state.
Noland was offered $10 for every password that was reset. Tate was offered cash as well and, according to court papers, he was also given jewelry and had his Romano’s Jewelers credit account cleared.
Torres knew about and was involved in the scheme as well, according to the complaint.
NBC 7 San Diego has been reporting on this story from the beginning, as the network used the federal Freedom of Information Act to obtain documents from the 2012 Marine Corps investigation of Tate. He was eventually convicted at a special court martial, fined, spent time in confinement and received a bad conduct discharge.
According to the network, Abalkhad’s trial is set for Nov. 1. Torres and Noland, who pleaded guilty in July 2015, won’t be sentenced until after that time.
R.J. Financial Inc., d/b/a Romano’s Jewelers, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2010.
In July 2015, a judge converted the case to a Chapter 7, forcing the company to liquidate and, ultimately, recover as much money as possible for the creditors. Following the conversion, the Romano’s Jewelers stores in Culver City, Northridge and Downey, Calif. closed. (More Romano’s stores closed prior to the conversion.)
At that time, the Chapter
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
7 trustee appointed to the case, attorney David Seror, told National Jeweler that there were other Romano’s Jewelers stores operating that were not under the R.J. Financial umbrella, including Diamond Trading Lakewood, d/b/a Romano’s Jewelers in the Lakewood Center Mall in Lakewood, Calif., and Diamond Trading Glendale, d/b/a Romano’s Jewelers in the Glendale Galleria Mall. He said that Abalkhad was involved in the management of these stores as well.
The Romano’s Jewelers website also lists stores in Northridge and Santa Ana.
Abalkhad’s attorney, A. David Youssefyeh, did not respond to request for comment Wednesday when asked about how the Torres plea might impact his client’s case or Abalkhad’s current involvement with Romano’s Jewelers.
The Romano’s Jewelers website also lists stores in Northridge and Santa Ana.
Abalkhad’s attorney, A. David Youssefyeh, did not respond to request for comment Wednesday when asked about how the Torres plea might impact his client’s case or Abalkhad’s current involvement with Romano’s Jewelers.
More on Crime
The Latest
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
MajorsAug 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Selects Mattel Exec to Lead Zales, BanterJamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
CollectionsAug 10, 2026
State Property Puts a Ripple in the ‘The Voyager’ CollectionThe brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
And IJO’s 2026 Vendor of the Year Is … Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Retail Veteran Pam Cloud Appointed President of Blue NileCloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Pandora Appoints Paulo Garcia as New CFO Garcia will take over from the company’s current CFO, Anders Boyer, who is retiring at the end of November.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Etsy to Lay Off 12% of WorkforceEtsy CEO Kruti Patel Goyal explained why the company is letting go more than 200 employees as its performance improves.
TrendsAug 07, 2026
Look Ahead with Syna’s Binoculars PendantThe “Star Gazer” pendant, our Piece of the Week, is Syna’s tribute to curiosity and the discovery of something new.
CrimeAug 06, 2026
Lalique Museum to Remain Closed Following $5M HeistMuseum officials are looking to the public to help cover the “exceptional” costs involved in recovering from the July 5 smash-and-grab.
MajorsAug 06, 2026
Claire’s Revamps Piercing Services for Second Time in Three Years The overhaul includes enhanced employee safety training and trendy earring styles, including lab-grown diamond studs.
