Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. today announced the guilty plea of YAORONG WAN, 50, for stealing approximately $260,000 worth of diamonds from Tiffany & Co. and Cartier in March 2024. WAN pleaded guilty in a New York State Supreme Court to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree. Under the terms of his plea, he is expected to be sentenced on July 14, 2025, to 3-to-9 years in state prison. 

“Yaorong Wan used sleight-of-hand to pocket $260,000 worth of diamonds from two luxury jewelers,” said District Attorney Bragg. “New York is a global fashion capital, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to keep mom-and-pop shops and high-end retailers alike safe.” 

According to court documents and statements made on the record, and as admitted in the defendant’s guilty plea, on March 4, 2024, at approximately 2:51 p.m., WAN entered Tiffany & Co. on Fifth Avenue to inquire about multiple pieces of jewelry, including a diamond ring valued at approximately $225,000. After he examined the ring, he slipped it into his palm and switched the genuine ring with a counterfeit ring. WAN left the store without purchasing anything and the employee returned the ring to the display case without realizing it was counterfeit. 

On March 11, 2024, the Tiffany & Co. store engaged in a routine inventory of the store’s jewelry and discovered that the genuine ring was replaced with a counterfeit ring. The genuine Tiffany ring contained a natural diamond mounted in platinum, while the counterfeit ring contained a cubic zirconia stone, and was mounted in 18-carat white gold. Additionally, the genuine ring contained engraving, hallmarking, and a unique SKU number, none of which were present on the counterfeit ring. 

On March 12, 2024, at approximately 1:30 p.m., WAN entered Cartier in Hudson Yards and inquired about multiple pieces of jewelry, including two engagement rings and two watches. WAN held both diamond engagement rings in his hand and while the employee was distracted, WAN handed back one of the diamond rings while keeping the second ring in his hand, worth approximately $24,000. WAN placed the ring in his pocket and left the store without paying for the ring. 

Assistant D.A. Adam Schuler (Trial Bureau 80) is handling the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Tricia Phillips (Deputy Bureau Chief of Trial Bureau 80), Siobhan Carty (Bureau Chief of Trial Bureau 80) and Executive Assistant D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). 

D.A. Bragg thanked the NYPD, particularly Detective Scott Gomez of the NYPD Major Case Squad. 

Defendant Information:

YAORONG WAN

QUEENS, NY 

Convicted:

• Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, one count 

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