Thieves

Feds nab 7 thieves accused of stealing $100M worth of gold, diamonds, rubies and other bling in biggest jewel heist in US history

The defendants are:

• Carlos Victor Mestanza Cercado, 31, of Pasadena
• Jazael Padilla Resto — a.k.a. “Ricardo Noel Moya,” “Ricardo Barbosa,” and “Alberto Javier Loza Chamorro” — 36, of Boyle Heights
• Pablo Raul Lugo Larroig, a.k.a. “Walter Loza,” 41, of Rialto
• Victor Hugo Valencia Solorzano, 60, of the Rampart Village neighborhood of Los Angeles
• Jorge Enrique Alban, 33, of South Los Angeles
• Jeson Nelon Presilla Flores, 42, of Upland
• Eduardo Macias Ibarra, 36, of the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles

By 

Jared Downing

Published June 17, 2025, 9:32 p.m. ET