A spectacular 13.15-carat pink diamond ring valued at up to $35 million has been auctioned off at the last minute at Christie’s New York – after it was discovered it was part of a lavish $90 million jewelry heist, involving a Florida psychic.
Alleged fraudster John Lee, 56, of New Jersey and Florida, has been charged with wire fraud, mail fraud and interstate transportation of stolen goods, according to the US Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. If convicted, he faces 20 years in prison for each charge.
Described by Christie’s as “a phenomenon in the world of rare diamonds,” the signature ring was due to be shown publicly to potential buyers in Hong Kong and New York City, but it was later revealed that it was part of an elaborate $90 million jewelry robbery involving an employee of a wealthy person in Doha, Qatar.
The person who worked for the wealthy resident approached Lee on an online platform seeking “relationship and love advice” but instead helped steal $90 million worth of jewelry, court filings revealed were first reported by CourtWatch.
Seventeen expensive gems were snatched from the employer’s safe in August and sent to Lee, authorities said. Christie’s was scheduled to auction the rare stone on December 6, 2022 until the FBI intervened.
The suspected fraudster, John Lee, 56, of New Jersey and Florida, has been charged with wire fraud, mail fraud and interstate transportation of stolen goods, according to the US Attorney for the Middle District of Florida
The pink diamond ring, described by Christie’s as “a phenomenon in the world of rare diamonds,” was scheduled for public display to potential buyers in Hong Kong and New York City and was estimated at $25 million to $35 million
The packages contained high-priced exclusive items, including a white diamond — approximately 42 carats — as well as two large canary diamonds, and a necklace of about 150 diamonds for Lee, court documents reveal.
The stolen items also included precious metals and precious stones such as diamonds, rubies and sapphires, as well as watches.
According to court documents, the jewelry had a purchase price of over 90 million US dollars.
Florida prosecutors said the employee – who has not been identified – sent his own jewelry to Lee in June 2022 “in hopes that he could cleanse the jewelry of evil spirits,” the news outlet reported.
The clerk believed Lee would eliminate any bad omens as promised and then return the jewelry, prosecutors said.
But when the clerk didn’t think the cleaning was helping them shed their “negativity,” Lee then advised them to use their boss’s jewelry, the legal documents said.
The slick scammer, pictured in a gray suit, calls himself “Master Advisor” under the name 111Giovanni1111 and promises clients that his 1,111 angels “would help me advise you”.
“Tired of false promises? Ready to hear the truth? Is it time to move on or persevere? Allow me to share my special gift with you and get the peace you truly deserve,” Lee wrote on his profile page, which appeared on Purple Garden’s website.
After Christie’s was made aware of the scheme, the auction house wrote in a statement that the pink diamond was “removed from sale.”
According to the Justice Department, the clerk continued to steal from her employer and mailed the jewels to the scammer — at least four times.
They would go to their employer’s safe and take out the rare jewels before sending them to America via FedEx in Qatar.
An exterior photo of Christie’s auction house
John Lee’s profile page stating “this consultant is no longer available”
The arrest warrant for John Lee, the so-called clairvoyant
Lee promised the clerk that he would return the jewels.
The couple was supposed to meet in Cannes, France, but according to clerk Lee, he never showed her and lit her.
The employee then confessed to his boss, who has not been publicly identified in legal documents, the New York Post reported.
Lee allegedly traded a $31 million diamond to a watch broker in exchange for $8 million worth of watches and diamonds, CourtWatch reported.
He also sold 150 diamonds to the same watch broker for $4 million in cash and watches, the report said.
The bright pink diamond stunner had apparently gone through another buyer before reaching Christie’s. The auction house made the rare stone its trademark for its December auction.
They shared in their press materials that “this fancy vivid pink diamond ring is considered one of the most important colored diamonds ever to hit the market,” the news outlet reported.
A Christie’s spokesman told CourtWatch, “We can confirm that we have cooperated with authorities, but Christie’s is not commenting on ongoing investigations in which we are not involved.”
Lee is due in court in Florida later this month.