A Southern California man pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $2 million worth of jewelry, clothing, and accessories from guests at a Beverly Hills hotel.
Jobson Marangoni De Castro, 38, then traveled to Florida to sell the stolen goods, according to federal prosecutors.
Driving the news: De Castro targeted two victims who had brought six suitcases filled with jewelry and high-end items worth about $1.8 million to attend a fashion event in Beverly Hills.
- De Castro tricked a hotel employee into giving him the key to the victims’ room and stole all their suitcases while they were at dinner.
- He then traveled to Miami and attempted to sell the stolen jewelry to a potential buyer on social media, but was arrested after the buyer wired $50,000 for the jewelry, which matched the description of the items stolen from the victims in Beverly Hills.
- De Castro pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. He is scheduled to appear for an evidentiary hearing to determine the loss amount and will face a sentencing hearing in the following months.
- The FBI and the Beverly Hills Police Department were involved in the investigation.
