Padis succeeds Lisa Bridge, marking the first time the organization has had two women board presidents in a row.
15 Rounded Up for Robbing Traveling Jewelry Salespeople
The attacks happened between 2014 and 2016, totaling 11 incidences in five states.
New York—Law enforcement officials just arrested the last of the 15 Colombians wanted in 11 violent robberies of traveling jewelry salespeople perpetrated over a nearly two-year span.
The U.S. Department of Justice said Tuesday the FBI and the Miami Beach Police Department arrested the final suspect Sunday in Miami, ending the string of arrests that began in 2016 and involved the FBI, the Justice Department, local law enforcement agencies and the Colombian National Police.
While the Jewelers’ Security Alliance has issued a number of warnings about off-premises attacks in recent years—including this one from November 2016—this particular string of robberies happened between late 2014 and early 2016.
According to the Justice Department, members of the gang used fake IDs to rent cars and book hotel rooms and flights to do surveillance on their intended targets, starting in Oklahoma City in September 2014 and ending in January 2016 in Dallas.
They watched traveling diamond and jewelry salespeople as they went in and out of jewelry stores—surveilling them on foot or from vehicles—and followed them in order to identify potential victims.
When they were ready to strike, gang members allegedly blocked in their victims’ vehicles, often flattening the tires and smashing in the windows, and threatened the salespeople with BB guns, knives, blades and center punches (a tool with a sharp point used to mark the center of an object) to get them to turn over their diamonds and jewelry.
According to the Justice Department, the 15 suspects carried out, or attempted to carry out, robberies in five states: Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Indiana and Virginia. Salespeople traveling through Texas were targeted the most, with nearly half of the robberies taking place in either Dallas or Houston.
Members of the crew allegedly sold the diamonds and jewelry they stole to various fences—individuals who knowingly buy stolen goods in order to later offload them for a profit—and split the proceeds.
The suspects are a mix of women and men, all Colombian nationals and ranging in age from 25 to 45. A full list of their names, along with their many aliases and various charges, is available on Justice.gov.
Three of the suspects were nabbed in Colombia by the Colombian National Police, DIJIN Vetted Team, between October 2017 and this past February. The remaining 12 defendants were caught in the United States.
The suspects face various robbery and RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations
According to the Justice Department, those nine are:
—Omar Gonzalez, 38, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy on July 27, 2017 and was sentenced on Feb. 20 to 66 months in prison;
—Erika Guiterrez Machado (aka Angela Cuebas), 45, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit a robbery on Sept. 5, 2017 and was sentenced to 40 months in prison on Jan. 22;
—Tito Andres Vargas Urbina, 31, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy on Aug. 29, 2017;
—Jonathan David Malpica, 33, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy on Sept. 5, 2017;
—Catherine Salas, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit a robbery on Oct. 31, 2017;
—Andres Felipe Henao, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit a robbery on Jan. 9;
—Mohammed Natour, 32, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy on March 13;
—Roger Zamora (aka Jaime Alba Juarez), 40, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy on March 20; and
—Luis Garcia, 31, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit a robbery on March 27.
Urbina, Malpica, Salas, Henao, Natour, Zamora and Garcia are all awaiting sentencing.
The Latest
Jesse Cole, founder of Fans First Entertainment, shared the “five Es” of building a fan base during his AGS Conclave keynote.
The Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar "John Mayer" was celebrated at a star-studded party in LA last week.
With Ho Brothers, you can unlock your brand's true potential and offer customers the personalized jewelry experiences they desire.
The announcement came as the company reported a 23 percent drop in production in Q1.
The three-time Pro Bowler continues to partner with the retailer, donating to a Detroit nonprofit and giving watches to fans.
Inspired by the Roman goddess of love, the designer looked to the sea for her new collection.
For over 30 years, JA has advocated for the industry, fought against harmful legislation and backed measures that help jewelry businesses.
The luxury titan posted declining sales, weighed down by Gucci’s poor performance.
The selected nine organizations have outlined their plans for the funds.
The mining company’s Diavik Diamond Mine lost four employees in a plane crash in January.
The crown introduced a dozen timepieces in Geneva, including a heavy metal version of its deep-sea divers’ watch.
Emmanuel Raheb recommends digging into demographic data, customizing your store’s communications, and retargeting ahead of May 12.
Located in the town of Queensbury, it features a dedicated bridal section and a Gabriel & Co. store-in-store.
A 203-carat diamond from the alluvial mine in Angola achieved the highest price.
Ruser was known for his figural jewelry with freshwater pearls and for his celebrity clientele.
The “Rebel Heart” campaign embodies rebellion, romance, and sensuality, the brand said.
Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff shares the standout moments from the education sessions she attended in Austin last week.
The overhaul includes a new logo and enhanced digital marketplace.
The money will go toward supporting ongoing research and aftercare programs for childhood cancer survivors.
A new addition to the “Heirloom” collection, this one-of-a-kind piece features 32 custom-cut gemstones.
The move will allow the manufacturing company to offer a more “diverse and comprehensive” range of products.
From now through mid-May, GIA will be offering the reports at a 50 percent discount.
De Beers’ rough diamond sales were down 18 percent year-over-year in its latest round of sales.
Sponsored by the Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show
The Patek Philippe expert will serve as personal curator for the brand-focused company.
The 553-square-foot shop is aboard the Carnival Jubilee cruise ship.