Two men have been charged with a string of luxury watch robberies across New York City, New Jersey, and Long Island. Victor Rivera, 30, and Johanan Araujo, 40, allegedly targeted high-end jewelers and individuals, stealing watches worth hundreds of thousands of dollars each.
According to the indictment, Rivera and Araujo used guns to commit several of the robberies, including one in which a victim was shot. The duo also allegedly transported stolen watches across state lines, laundering the proceeds.
The 11 robberies and attempted robberies took place between October 2019 and November 2020 and targeted jewelers in Manhattan’s Diamond District, as well as individuals in Long Island City, Jamaica, Brooklyn, Rego Park, and Hoboken, New Jersey.
On October 3, 2019, Rivera and a co-conspirator robbed a jeweler in Long Island City of a Richard Mille watch worth over $250,000. On October 25, 2019, Rivera and a co-conspirator robbed a jeweler in Jamaica of a Rolex watch worth over $150,000.
On December 10, 2019, Rivera, Araujo, and a co-conspirator robbed a jeweler in Brooklyn of a Patek Philippe watch worth over $160,000 and a diamond necklace worth over $77,000. During the robbery, a firearm was shown to the victim.
Rivera and Araujo were arrested in connection with the robberies. Rivera was previously charged in an Indictment in November 2020 and is currently in custody. Araujo was arrested on July 23 and presented and arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker.
The case is assigned to United States District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein. Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Dermot Shea, Police Commissioner for the City of New York, announced the unsealing of a Superseding Indictment charging Rivera and Araujo with conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, attempted robbery, attempted extortion, interstate transportation of stolen property, money laundering, and firearms offenses.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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