Antiques dealer charged with stealing $960,000 from estate

An antiques dealer in Greenwich, Connecticut, has been charged with five felony counts after he allegedly stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from a dead client’s estate, federal prosecutors said.

David L. Johnson, 66, was indicted by a federal grand jury last week in the U.S. District Court in Connecticut, court records show. He was charged with one count of money laundering, one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, and three counts of engaging in monetary transactions derived from unlawful activity.

Johnson operated a business called Antique Treasures as well as an auction house, Greenwich Auction, both based in the city of Stamford.

Prosecutors say that the victim signed legal documents in October 2018 giving Johnson control over their finances and estate, including naming him to manage and carry out the estate after death.

Johnson was not entitled to inherit anything, prosecutors said, and the victim died at the age of 87 in August 2020.

Federal prosecutors alleged Johnson later stole more than $436,000 from a federal tax refund check belonging to the estate, more than $217,000 from an investment account and more than $308,000 from the proceeds of artwork sales, for a total over $960,000.

If convicted on all counts, Johnson faces a potential maximum sentence of up to 60 years in prison, though actual sentences are typically far lower under federal sentencing guidelines.

Johnson pleaded not guilty during an initial appearance Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport. He was released on a $250,000 unsecured bond.

Court records show the judge ordered Johnson to surrender any passport and prohibited him from obtaining new international travel documents. His travel is restricted to Connecticut, with limited exceptions for medical appointments and treatment.

The court also barred Johnson from contacting potential victims or witnesses except in the presence of counsel and required that prosecutors be notified before any sale or encumbrance of property belonging to Johnson or his spouse.

The indictment itself appeared to remain inaccessible on the public docket despite being listed as unsealed at the time Urgent Matter sought to access it.

The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation division. Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang is prosecuting the case.

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