A Queens jeweler is now a convicted felon after a luxury-watch deal went so bad it ended with threats, a seized Mercedes SUV and a Brooklyn man dead. A federal jury in Brooklyn on Wednesday found 45-year-old Shlomo Patchiav guilty of taking part in an extortion conspiracy tied to the disappearance and death of Shehroz Tokhirov, whose body was later recovered in Ellenville. Prosecutors say the scheme grew out of a failed high-end watch transaction in June 2022, and Patchiav now faces up to 20 years in prison while one alleged co-conspirator is still on the run.
Conviction In Brooklyn Federal Court
Jurors convicted Patchiav after a three-week trial in Brooklyn federal court. According to prosecutors, Patchiav and a co-conspirator used threats and violence to squeeze Tokhirov after negotiations over several luxury watches fell apart. A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York states that Tokhirov left his Kensington apartment on June 25, 2022, withdrew cash, signed over his Mercedes and then vanished. His remains were recovered months later.
Remains Found At An Ulster County Property
Local coverage at the time reported that investigators located human remains stuffed into two duffel bags behind a house on Ulster Heights Road, a quiet stretch outside Ellenville. Neighbors told reporters the spot had a reputation as an old Russian-mob dumping ground. Residents said law enforcement activity focused on a wooded area behind 649 Ulster Heights Road and that federal agents were seen digging in a backyard after a tip brought them there, according to News 12.
How Prosecutors Say The Plot Unfolded
At trial, prosecutors rolled out surveillance video and cellphone location data that they say put Patchiav and the co-conspirator in Ellenville on June 26, 2022, the day after Tokhirov disappeared. Evidence showed that Tokhirov met the co-conspirator at a TD Bank, withdrew roughly $10,000 in cash and obtained a $20,000 cashier's check before signing over his Mercedes at a tax-services business. Prosecutors say the co-conspirator later bought duffel bags and a junk car that became part of the case, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York.
Next Steps And The Search For A Suspect
Court filings identify Patchiav as the owner of a wholesale jewelry and diamond business and a Kew Gardens resident. He has been released on bond and will be sentenced at a later date, when he faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. Authorities say the unnamed co-conspirator remains at large, and filings indicate he purchased a ticket to the Republic of Georgia. Local reporting also notes that agents seized about $26,500 in cash during the investigation, according to the Brooklyn Eagle.
Hudson Valley Reaction
The case has stirred fresh unease in the Hudson Valley about remote spots where criminals try to hide their worst acts. Neighbors told reporters they were unnerved to see federal agents descend on the Ulster Heights Road property and said the area had long been whispered about as a dumping ground. Local coverage notes that the FBI Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force took the lead on the probe and that investigators urged anyone with additional information to come forward, per the Daily Voice.
