On Tuesday, a prominent male fashion model found himself in Manhattan Criminal Court, facing serious charges tied to a high-profile theft involving over $1 million in designer goods from an upscale SoHo store.
Abdallah Diaby, a 21-year-old Bronx resident, was formally charged with grand larceny, burglary, and criminal possession of stolen property. The charges stem from a December heist at 4Gseller, a luxury boutique located on Spring Street.
According to prosecutors, Diaby was allegedly part of a group of four individuals who executed an early-morning break-in. The thieves reportedly absconded with high-end items such as Saint Laurent jackets, handbags, and belts, totaling more than $1 million.
Despite the serious allegations, Diaby has entered a plea of not guilty, as documented in court records.
Diaby, an up-and-coming model previously associated with the New York-based agency TWO MGMT, was seen outside the court post-hearing, captured by photographers.
Interestingly, just a day before his court appearance, Diaby shared a glimpse of what appeared to be a new designer acquisition on his social media, further stirring public intrigue.
In an Instagram Story, he posted a photo of what appeared to be a pair of yellow Balmain pants alongside a shopping bag from luxury resale retailer 2nd Street.
‘Went balmain at 2nd street got lucky today and found 2,’ he wrote.
Fashion model Abdallah Diaby leaves Manhattan Criminal Court after pleading not guilty to charges stemming from the alleged theft of more than $1 million worth of designer merchandise from a SoHo boutique
Prosecutors allege Diaby was one of four men who stole luxury goods including Saint Laurent jackets, handbags and belts during a four-minute burglary at 4Gseller on Spring Street
Diaby appeared to wear the same pants to court as he faced charges connected to the alleged theft of more than $1 million in designer merchandise.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by the NY Post, the burglary began at around 4.10am on December 1 when a silver Ford SUV pulled up outside the store.
The suspects allegedly arrived disguised as construction workers. Three men wearing dark clothing and construction vests exited the vehicle carrying a ladder before climbing scaffolding surrounding the building and breaking into the boutique.
A fourth accomplice remained outside, investigators said.
The entire burglary was captured on surveillance cameras.
Following the burglary, 4Gseller owner Tommy Macari told the New York Post that the suspects appeared to have carefully planned the operation.
‘Kind of like the movies, to be honest,’ Macari said.
Macari said the group wore headlamps and construction gear and worked quickly to remove merchandise from the store.
‘They were in and out of the store in four and a half minutes,’ he said.
An Instagram Story posted by Diaby the day before his court appearance appeared to show a recent purchase of yellow Balmain pants from luxury resale retailer 2nd Street
Diaby appeared to wear the same yellow pants to court Tuesday as he faced charges connected to the alleged theft of more than $1 million worth of designer goods
Macari told the outlet that the thieves targeted rare and high-end items, including merchandise from Saint Laurent and Chrome Hearts.
‘They took a lot of one-of-one, high-end merchandise,’ Macari said.
The suspects allegedly dropped items from an upper level of the store to accomplices below, who loaded the merchandise into a waiting vehicle.
Macari told the Post that police arrived about 91 seconds after the suspects left, but the group had already fled.
The boutique operates largely through private showroom appointments rather than walk-in traffic.
‘We’re very tight here. It’s not an open door. You have to be buzzed up. They knew what they were looking for,’ Macari told CBS New York following the burglary.
Neighbors who live above the boutique said they were awakened by noises during the break-in.
‘We were awakened by a crashing sound,’ resident Guy Story told NBC New York. ‘We didn’t know what it was. And then some other noises, which were also unfamiliar.’
Diaby was released under supervision following his arraignment after being charged with grand larceny, burglary and criminal possession of stolen property
A silver feather pendant hung from Diaby’s neck as he appeared before a Manhattan judge in the luxury boutique burglary case
Another resident, Linda Bradley Jones, suggested the thieves may have specifically targeted the boutique.
‘The speculation was that whoever did it knew what these people had in their store, right?’ Jones told NBC New York. ‘Because it was not an advertised store.’
Investigators later linked Diaby to the burglary through surveillance footage, prosecutors said. The three remaining suspects have not been arrested.
Despite the value of the alleged theft, Diaby was released under supervision following his arraignment.
Under New York law, many nonviolent offenses are not eligible for cash bail.
Defense attorney Ollen argued against supervised release, telling the court that Diaby voluntarily returned to New York after working in California.
‘If he wanted to flee, he had a 300,000 mile head start,’ Ollen said.
Diaby is scheduled to return to court on March 18.
Representatives for TWO MGMT did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
The investigation remains ongoing.
