New York diamond dealer Manashe Sezanayev has been charged with stealing from diamond merchants by replacing US$460 000 worth of natural diamonds with synthetic stones.
Sezanayev, who operates Rachel’s Diamonds in New York’s diamond district, pleaded not guilty to the charges, which included stealing and fraud, according to a recent release from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
In February, Sezanayev made an appointment with a diamond merchant to view two stones he claimed to be interested in buying. During the visit, he allegedly swapped the two natural gems with synthetics he had previously cut to match, while inspecting them. The natural diamonds were valued at US$185 000 and US$75,000. He also forged the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) laser inscriptions, the report stated. A month later, he carried out the same hoax with a different dealer for a diamond worth US$200 000, the office said.
The scheme began to unravel when the second jeweler learned the stone Sezanayev returned to him was a synthetic diamond cut to resemble his stone.
“As alleged, Manashe Sezanayev took advantage of diamond merchants by stealing their diamonds and replacing them with fake stones,” said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Sezanayev has been charged with two counts of second-degree grand larceny, one count of scheming to defraud in the first degree, and three counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the third degree. – rapaport.com/
