America’s Auction Channel Employee Arrested in Jewelry Theft Scheme
The employee was in charge of jewelry intake and allegedly gave stolen items to her boyfriend to pawn.

When jewelry worth between $100,000 and $200,000 was noted as missing, the authorities were called.
After an investigation, America’s Auction Channel employee Monique Bigelow, 36, and her boyfriend, Reco Wallace, 34, were arrested and charged by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office with “scheme to defraud.”
Bigelow was in charge of receiving and intaking the company’s jewelry, as per court documents, and was allegedly misreporting the amounts and values to remove items from inventory and keep them for herself to pawn.
The alleged siphoning off of items went on for six months, beginning in May 2020 and continuing until November 2020.
Court documents state that a manager was able to identify several pieces of jewelry that had been pawned as belonging to the company. Neither Bigelow nor Wallace was given permission to pawn the items, the manager said.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office started the case by investigating Wallace after he had been recorded making “exorbitant amounts of pawn transaction,” as per court documents, including several “unique” pieces of jewelry.
Investigators spotted Wallace driving a 2007 Chevrolet Impala registered to Bigelow and later made the connection.
Wallace has been arrested several times for a variety of charges, including robbery and grand theft of a motor vehicle, as per sheriff’s office records.
The two were taken to the Pinellas County Jail on Dec. 27 on a charge of scheme to defraud. They are being held on $100,000 bonds.
America’s Auction Channel did not respond to National Jeweler’s request for comment on the case, but company founder and owner Jeremiah Hartman told the Tampa Bay Times that Bigelow was first hired in 2016 but then laid off, possibly by a department head, though he did not recall it being for an “atrocious” reason. She was rehired in the summer of 2018.
Another employee had lost his job after being falsely accused of stealing the missing jewelry, said Hartman, who urged fellow business owners to “trust, but verify.”
Hartman started the network in 2001 as a jewelry auction channel but later expanded its offerings.
The Latest

Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff is joined by three industry veterans to talk about the items they never leave behind and why.

German jewelry artist Alexander Blank is the fourth designer to receive the honor.

The answer is “Hair,” and the necklace is from Chopard’s 2022 Red Carpet Collection, rolled out at the Cannes Film Festival.

Provide your customers with a seamless selling solution by partnering with Windsor Jewelers, Inc.

Sponsored by Italian Trade Agency


David Prager virtually sat down with Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff to answer questions about the rollout of Tracr at scale.

Jewelry and objects belonging to Bette Midler, heiress Hélène Irwin Crocker Fagan, and Lady Sylvia Ashley were among the highlights.

When it comes to knowing the identity and quality of your pearls, count on GIA as your independent pearl experts.

The company opted not to raise its fiscal guidance, citing a slowdown in the U.S. market as a key reason.

From “old-school” eBay to new kid on the block 1stDibs, we asked jewelers about their experiences selling jewelry in non-traditional places.

She has nearly 30 years’ experience in the gem and jewelry industry and a background in nonprofit management.

Senior Editor Brecken Branstrator chooses the pieces she’d most want to see in person.

The actress joins Zendaya and others in a new advertising campaign.

Owner Steve Delzio shares his thoughts on retirement after nearly five decades in the jewelry industry.

“I Fear for This Boy” takes readers through the ups and downs of his business and is available for pre-order now.

“Today’s Wedding Jewelry Consumer” shares data about engagement ring market size, lab-grown and natural diamonds, and more.

Columnist Lilian Raji wants to walk you through the customer journey. But first, she’d like you to answer a few questions.

Several Couture brands have partnered with Platinum Guild International ahead of the jewelry trade show.

The jewelry company is moving into bridal just a month after branching out into the watch world.

The 2008 economic crisis, COVID-19, and sanctions on Russian goods have set the stage for an interesting decade for natural diamond supply.
The Generating Community Impact fundraiser on June 11 will feature Karine Bah Tahé of Blue Level Training.

Kaiser, whose illustrious career spanned decades, died suddenly on Friday.

The family-owned jeweler is relocating its Braintree, Massachusetts, store to a new space.

He will step into the retailer’s newly created role of chief development officer.

GemIntro is meant to give a broad introduction to gems and gemology.

Three industry experts discuss “recycled” gold vs. mined, their challenges and benefits, and how jewelers can navigate the area.

Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Buccellati put on stellar performances.