An international jewel thief’s years-long run has come to an end after pleading guilty in a Manhattan court to stealing over $260,000 worth of diamond rings from luxury boutiques using sleight-of-hand and fake jewelry.
Yaorong Wan, a 50-year-old man from Queens, admitted to orchestrating high-end thefts at Tiffany & Co. and Cartier in New York, capping off a global spree that spanned multiple countries and US states.
As reported by the NY Post, on June 23, Wan pleaded guilty in Manhattan Supreme Court to stealing from the iconic Tiffany’s flagship location and the Cartier boutique at Hudson Yards.
Wan had many tricks at his disposal that seemed ripped right out of Now You See Me or Ocean’s 11.
Global criminal caught after years of high-profile thefts
According to prosecutors, Wan visited Tiffany’s last year and asked to view several rings. During the presentation, he swapped a genuine $225,000 platinum-mounted diamond ring with a near-identical cubic zirconia fake. He then left the store without making a purchase, leaving staff unaware until it was too late.
At Cartier, Wan used a similar tactic. While examining two engagement rings and two luxury watches, he discreetly pocketed one of the rings while the salesperson was distracted. Investigators described his method as a precise mix of skillful hand movements and misdirection, akin to that of a magician. And of course, the strategic use of replica jewelry.
“This defendant used deceptive sleight-of-hand techniques to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of high-end jewelry,” said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. “Thanks to the collaboration between law enforcement agencies, we’ve put an end to his global theft operation.”
Wan’s history extends well beyond New York. He was previously wanted by Interpol in connection with a $330,000 diamond heist in South Korea in 2018, where he allegedly stole a high-value piece from a boutique in Seoul. He’s also been tied to similar jewelry thefts in New Jersey, California, and Florida.
His arrest came in May 2024, when a joint task force from the NYPD, Nassau County Police, and US Marshals tracked him down to his home in Flushing, Queens. There, officers recovered multiple stolen items, including a $17,000 Chopard watch reported missing from a Long Island jewelry store.
Wan is set to be sentenced on July 14 and faces between three and nine years in New York state prison, and has outstanding warrants in multiple jurisdictions.
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