Date: 01-11-2018

Case Style:

Case Number: 5:16-cr-00039-BLF

Judge: Beth L. Freeman

Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of California (Santa Clara County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Cynthia Frey and Elise Etter

Defendant's Attorney: Bruce Funk

Description: San Jose, CA - Southbay Resident Sentenced To Over Three Years In Prison For Role In Conspiracy To Transport Stolen Wine In Interstate Commerce

Alfred Georgis was sentenced this morning to 37 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce, announced Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Beth L. Freeman, United States District Judge, following a guilty plea in which Georgis admitted to conspiring in the transportation of high-end wines stolen from a number of businesses in the Bay Area, including, The French Laundry in Yountville, Calif., and Alexander’s Steakhouse in Cupertino, Calif., and which he sold to a buyer in North Carolina.

According to his plea agreement, Georgis, 53, of Mountain View, conspired with Davis Kiryakoz, 44, of Modesto, and others, to steal approximately 29 bottles of high-end wines from Alexander’s Steakhouse in the early morning hours of November 8, 2014. Georgis acknowledged the wines had a value of approximately $32,000. Georgis admitted he and Kiryakoz made arrangements to sell the wines to a buyer in North Carolina and shipped approximately 17 bottles, worth about $25,000, of the wine to the buyer. In addition, Georgis admitted conspiring with Kiryakoz to steal approximately 110 bottles of high-end wines, valued at the time at approximately $549,447, from The French Laundry in the early morning hours of December 26, 2014. Georgis and Kiryakoz sold approximately 63 bottles of the stolen wines, valued at approximately $221,374, to the same buyer in North Carolina, and transported some of those wines on December 26, 2014, and December 29, 2014. As part of his plea, Georgis also agreed that conduct relevant to his sentencing included the transportation of wines valued at $290,000 stolen shortly after midnight on March 27, 2013, from Fine Wines International in San Francisco and sold to a buyer in North Carolina.

A federal grand jury charged Georgis and Kiryakoz with one count of conspiracy to transport stolen goods, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and two counts of transportation of stolen goods, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2314 and 2. Both defendants pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and the remaining charges were dismissed. On March 28, 2017, Judge Freeman sentenced Kiryakoz to 15 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered that he pay $585,715 in restitution for his role in the scheme. This morning, in addition to the prison term, Judge Freeman ordered that Georgis also pay $585,715 in restitution, jointly and severally with his co-defendant, and to serve three years of supervised release as part of his sentence.

The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Napa County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Department, San Francisco Police Department, Walnut Creek Police Department, and Carmel Police Department.

Outcome:

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments: