Manashe Sezanayev, a diamond dealer from New York, has been accused of stealing natural diamonds worth $460,000 from fellow merchants and replacing them with synthetic stones. Operating out of Rachel’s Diamonds in the city’s diamond district, Sezanayev entered a plea of not guilty to charges including theft and fraud, as detailed in a recent statement from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
According to reports, in February, Sezanayev arranged a meeting with a diamond merchant to examine two stones he purportedly intended to purchase. During the visit, it is alleged that he swapped the genuine diamonds, valued at $185,000 and $75,000, with synthetic counterparts that he had previously prepared to resemble the originals. Furthermore, he is accused of forging Gemological Institute of America (GIA) laser inscriptions to deceive the merchant. A similar incident occurred a month later with another dealer, involving a diamond valued at $200,000.
The scheme came to light when the second jeweler discovered that the diamond Sezanayev returned was a synthetic stone made to mimic their original diamond.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg commented, “As alleged, Manashe Sezanayev exploited diamond merchants by stealing their diamonds and substituting them with fake stones.”
Sezanayev faces charges including two counts of second-degree grand larceny, one count of first-degree scheming to defraud, and three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.
