The New York Times now has the charges connected to this morning’s raid on the Helly Nahmad Gallery. Helly Nahmad has been indicted for his role operating and financing “high-stakes poker games involving Wall Street financiers, Hollywood celebrities and professional athletes” where Russian organized crime figures enforced collections. In addition, Nahmad is accused of using a Bronx plumbing company to launder profits from the gambling operation. You can read the indictment here.
In addition to charges that he helped finance a multimillion-dollar gambling ring in the United States, Mr. Nahmad is accused of defrauding an unnamed individual by selling him a painting for $300,000 when it was worth only $50,000, according to the indictment.
Mr. Nahmad, according to the indictment, also wired money — once for $500,000 and another time for $850,000 — from his father’s bank account in Switzerland to a bank account in America to help fund the gambling operation. […]
The government is seeking the forfeiture of four high-end properties, including an apartment at Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue and two Miami estates, in connection with the case.
Agents Raid Gallery in Carlyle Hotel in Gambling Investigation (New York Times)
