Queens husband and wife arrested in $2M designer name retail theft ring stretching to Dominican Republic

A Queens husband-and-wife squad was charged with moving a retail theft ringing that sold much than $2 cardinal worthy of stolen high-end quality products and covering from their location and a storefront successful the Dominican Republic, authorities said Tuesday.

The theft and fencing cognition included specified products arsenic makeup, perfume, cosmetics, decorator covering and accessories stolen from retailers specified arsenic Macy’s, Sephora and Ulta Beauty that were sold locally and overseas astatine profoundly discounted prices.

The ringleaders besides paid motortruck drivers to divert circumstantial merchandise from shaper warehouses to their location and an flat successful Fresh Meadows, officials said.

The suspects, Cristopher Guzman and Yvelisse Guzman Batista, on with respective associates, were charged nether a caller authorities stolen goods statute that was utilized for the archetypal clip successful New York.

Merchandise recovered successful a large-scale retail theft and fencing cognition is displayed during a property league Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 successful Queens. (Barry Williams/ New York Daily News)

“These arrests erstwhile again beryllium that consumers should beryllium highly cautious astir buying items connected societal media oregon from unfamiliar vendors,” said Queens DA Melinda Katz.

“As we attack the vacation season, instrumentality large attraction to cognize the genesis of the products you are buying.”

The fenced goods takedown, conscionable days earlier Black Friday, comes months aft quality measures protecting consumers against organized retail theft were signed into law.

The caller instrumentality criminalizes fostering the merchantability of stolen goods, a complaint that was utilized for the archetypal clip since the caller instrumentality went into effect.

The ringleaders paid motortruck drivers to divert circumstantial merchandise from shaper warehouses to their location and an flat successful Fresh Meadows, Queens, officials said. (Queens DA)

“New Yorkers are sick and bushed of the retail theft that has been plaguing our businesses and communities,” said Gov. Hochul, who announced the arrests alongside Katz.

Keeping New Yorkers harmless is my No. 1 priority, and arsenic we participate the vacation buying season, we volition proceed focusing our efforts to guarantee radical consciousness harmless walking into stores and concern owners tin absorption connected serving their customers alternatively of locking up mundane items similar toothpaste and deodorant.”

Guzman, 35, and Batista, 29, were arraigned connected charges that included transgression possession of stolen property, expansive larceny, conspiracy and fostering the merchantability of stolen goods.

They look up to 25 years successful situation if convicted.

Merchandise recovered successful retail theft and fencing operation. (Barry Williams/ New York Daily News)

Prosecutors said the squad purchased truckloads of stolen goods that were pilfered from retailers up and down the East Coast. Much of the merchandise ne'er adjacent reached the retail outlets.

The suspects received astir $50,000 worthy of stolen merchandise per week for which they paid the theft crews astir 10% to 15% of retail value.

The goods were past catalogued and sold successful New York done online ads and from a brick-and-mortar boutique called Yvelisse Fashion successful the Dominican Republic.

Queens DA Melinda Katz holds a convey you paper a retail theft and fencing cognition sent their customers. (Barry Williams/ New York Daily News)

Officials cracked the lawsuit with the assistance of an undercover enforcement squad that bought stolen goods. Team members were besides asked by the mates to bargain definite products based connected the precocious request from their buyers.

Undercover agents who made controlled purchases from their website were directed to the basement of a Queens home, wherever they saw shelves of merchandise.

Brand names among the stolen goods were Maybelline, Fenty, Dior, Yve Saint Laurent, Versace, Valentino, Prada, Ferragamo, Victoria’s Secret, and American Eagle.

The theft and fencing cognition included specified products arsenic makeup, perfume, cosmetics, decorator covering and accessories stolen from retailers specified arsenic Macy’s, Sephora and Ulta Beauty that were sold locally and overseas astatine profoundly discounted prices. (Queens DA)

Officials besides recovered a wealth antagonistic and 2 polymer shade weapon kits.

The cognition is estimated to person taken successful $2 cardinal successful income successful 2 years.

“Organized retail theft is acold from a victimless crime,” said William Waker, Homeland Security Investigations New York peculiar cause successful charge. “Estimates amusement the mean American household pays implicit $500 annually successful further costs owed to the interaction of organized retail crime.”

A log of stolen merchandise fenced from a large-scale retail theft operation. (Barry Williams/ New York Daily News)

Also arrested were Rosa Rodriguez Santana, 59, of Kew Gardens Hills; Johanny Almonte Reyes, 33, of Fresh Meadows, and Tiffany Leon Fuentes, 29, of Ozone Park.

Santana is the parent of alleged ringleader Guzman Batista.

Charges against them see transgression possession of stolen property, expansive larceny and fostering the merchantability of stolen goods.