Jeweler Accused of Money Laundering for Gun Gang
April 20, 22
(IDEX Online) - A New York jeweler has been charged with laundering money for violent gang members.
Stanislav "Steve" Yakubov, allegedly acted as a fence for armed attackers who stole watches and jewelry worth $2m in a series of assaults on jewelers near their homes in New York and New Jersey.
He was arrested last month and has since been indicted in Manhattan Federal Court on allegations that he bought stolen goods from the gang on three occasions. He has been charged with one count of money laundering.
Yakubov is a jeweler at the Jamaica Colosseum Mall (pictured), in New York City, home to over 35 jewelry stores.
He is accused of paying $84,000 for a stolen Richard Mille watch worth $250,000, which was stolen from a Diamond District jeweler.
Court documents say the gang carried out a dozen robberies on jewelers and luxury watch owners between October 2019 and November 2020.
Yakubov's attorney told the New York Post his client was out of the country during alleged meetings with the thieves.