Current:Home > BackRetired professor charged with stealing rare jewelry from well-heeled acquaintances-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Retired professor charged with stealing rare jewelry from well-heeled acquaintances
View Date:2024-12-23 19:57:44
NEW YORK (AP) — A retired political science professor who traveled in Washington’s elite social circles pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges that he stole tens of thousands of dollars in jewelry from his wealthy acquaintances.
Lawrence Gray sold at least seven rare and valuable stolen items, including diamond earrings, a pink sapphire brooch, and a 19th century gold pocket watch, prosecutors said. They allege he earned more than $45,000 consigning the pieces to a Manhattan auction house.
“The defendant allegedly repeatedly sold stolen jewelry in order to enrich himself,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. “New York’s status as a global hub for auction houses is diminished when goods are illegally sold.”
Gray, 79, pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan criminal court to charges of grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, and a scheme to defraud. Wearing a pink shirt and black blazer and leaning gingerly on a dark wooden cane, he declined to speak to reporters as he left the courtroom. He was released without bail after agreeing to give up his passport. He is due back in court on Oct. 31.
The indictment is the latest in a growing list of theft allegations against Gray, a former tenured professor at John Cabot University in Rome and the longtime romantic partner of the late Washington socialite Jacqueline Quillen.
In 2021, shortly after Quillen’s death, her sons sued Gray, accusing him of stealing expensive heirlooms, paintings and cash from both Quillen and her friends — a well-heeled group that included American diplomats, bankers and businessmen. Later that year, Gray was arrested in Rhode Island on charges that he stole a diamond and sapphire brooch valued at $32,000 during a wedding in Newport.
The family’s lawsuit has settled for undisclosed terms; the Rhode Island case, in which Gray pleaded not guilty, is ongoing.
On Tuesday, Manhattan prosecutors said they had evidence connecting Gray to a string of thefts in New York, Virginia, and several other states. Between 2016 and 2019, he sold the goods on consignment to Doyle Auction House on the Upper East Side, they said, adding that they are still working to locate some of the pieces that were sold.
A spokesperson for Doyle Auction House declined to comment, citing a company policy against discussing consignors.
Quillen, a wine specialist at Christie’s and the heir to a Wall Street fortune, had come to suspect that Gray was stealing from her and her friends, according to the lawsuit filed by her sons. She kept detailed notes on the missing goods, and eventually broke off her relationship with Gray months prior to her death, the suit alleged.
veryGood! (5946)
Related
- John Krasinski is People's Sexiest Man Alive. What that says about us.
- Powerball winning numbers for Feb. 28 drawing: Jackpot rises to over $410 million
- Chrysler recalls more than 338,000 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles for crash risk
- Man already serving life sentence convicted in murder of Tucson girl who vanished from parents’ home
- 'Yellowstone's powerful opening: What happened to Kevin Costner's John Dutton?
- Shemar Moore kisses audience member in shocking moment on 'The Jennifer Hudson Show': Watch
- Watch: Tom Brady runs faster 40-yard dash 24 years after his NFL combine performance
- Run To Lululemon and Shop Their Latest We Made Too Much Drop With $29 Tanks and More
- When do new episodes of 'Cobra Kai' Season 6 come out? Release date, cast, where to watch
- 'I don't believe in space:' Texas Tech DB Tyler Owens makes bold statement at NFL combine
Ranking
- DWTS' Sasha Farber Claps Back at Diss From Jenn Tran's Ex Devin Strader
- Eva Longoria, director, producer, champion for Latino community, is Woman of the Year honoree
- Arizona’s Senate has passed a plan to manage rural groundwater, but final success is uncertain
- Florida authorities recover remains believed to be those of teenage girl who disappeared in 2004
- Georgia House Republicans stick with leadership team for the next two years
- Sally Rooney has a new novel, 'Intermezzo,' coming out in the fall
- Summer House: Lindsay Hubbard's Bombshell Drug Accusation About Ex Carl Radke Revealed
- Chick-fil-A tells customers to discard Polynesian sauce dipping cups due to allergy concerns
Recommendation
-
Duke basketball vs Kentucky live updates: Highlights, scores, updates from Champions Classic
-
Oprah Winfrey says she's stepping down from WeightWatchers. Its shares are cratering.
-
Belarusian lawmakers to soon consider anti-LGBTQ+ bill
-
Build Your Dream Spring Capsule Wardrobe From Home With Amazon's Try Before You Buy
-
The Surreal Life’s Kim Zolciak Fuels Dating Rumors With Costar Chet Hanks After Kroy Biermann Split
-
Federal judge blocks Texas' SB4 immigration law that would criminalize migrant crossings
-
Georgia women’s prison inmate files lawsuit accusing guard of brutal sexual assault
-
Avalanche kills American man in backcountry of Japanese mountains, police say