The large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.
7 Charged with Selling Fake Native American Jewelry
The defendants allegedly produced the pieces in a factory in the Philippines but were passing them off as authentic Native American-made jewels.
Phoenix—Seven people have been indicted for allegedly importing jewelry from the Philippines and selling it as authentic Native American-made pieces.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a federal grand jury returned a 38-count indictment on Feb. 26 against suspects based in both the Philippines and United States.
The indictment accuses them of operating a fraudulent scheme to import Native American-style jewelry into the U.S. from the Philippines and sell it to retail stores and individuals across the Southwestern U.S. as authentic jewelry made by Native Americans.
The fraud and money laundering scheme started in January 2016, the Justice Department said, and violated federal laws including the Indian Arts and Crafts Act. The IACA prohibits the display or sale of any goods that falsely suggest they are Native American-produced, a Native American product or the product of a particular Native American and/or Native American tribe.
Richard Dennis Nisbet, 70, and his daughter, Laura Marye Lott, 31, both of Peoria, Arizona, are named in the indictment as the pair who were overseeing the scheme.
The defendants allegedly took several measures to ensure the jewelry resembled authentic Native American-made jewelry, including copying designs from genuine Native American artists, using traditional Native American motifs and symbols, and stamping the jewelry with the initials of Native American artists.
Court documents state the jewelry was imported into the U.S. through FedEx, or smuggled into the country by hand or through the Philippines Postal System to locations in Arizona, with Lott delivering the pieces to retail stores in Arizona, Texas and other states and collecting payment.
The indictment also names Christian Coxon, 45, owner and operator of the Turquoise River Trading Company jewelry store in San Antonio, Texas, which claims to specialize in Native American-made jewelry; and Waleed Sarrar, 43, of Chandler, Arizona, owner and operator of Scottsdale Jewels in Arizona, which also advertises “authentic Indian-made jewelry” for sale.
According to court documents, Coxon and Sarrar conspired with Nisbet and Lott to pass off the imitation jewelry as authentic Native American-made jewelry.
Court documents also allege that none of the jewelry items were indelibly marked with the country of origin, as U.S. customs law requires.
None of the calls placed to the U.S.-based defendants by National Jeweler on Monday were answered or returned.
The indictment also names three international defendants who have been charged in the case: Mency Remedio, a factory manager in the Philippines;
The Latest

Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.

Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.

When investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.

The diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.


The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.

Between tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.

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.

Designed by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.

However, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.

The pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.

Sponsored by Stuller

It was featured in the miner’s latest sale, which brought in $24.8 million.

GemText AI uses artificial intelligence to generate tailored product titles, descriptions, and tags with jewelry-specific language.

The 3,300-square foot location is the jeweler's largest store in North America.

The WNBA team received rings imbued with meaning, from leaf motifs and its Liberty torch to the number of diamonds used.

A longtime executive at RDI Diamonds, Rickard has served on the JBT board for the past five years.

The two organizations have signed an affiliation agreement that’s expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.

The platinum and diamond watch is part of Sotheby’s upcoming Important Watches sale.

Recovered in Mozambique, “The Kat Florence Lumina” was part of Bonhams’ Hong Kong jewelry auction held last week.

Get a taste of the delicious candy-like gemstones in this Amanda’s Style File.

From 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.

The lab has adjusted the scale it uses for nacre grading.

Sponsored by GCAL by Sarine

David Walton will serve three years’ probation after an incident in a hotel bar led to the death of West Virginia jeweler David Ettinger.

The retailer also provided an update on how the tariffs situation in the U.S. is affecting its business.

The family-owned jeweler in Great Falls, Virginia, will be celebrating its golden jubilee with a year’s worth of events.