Convicted Fraud Organizer Nikolay Almazov Krechet Fled the U.S. One Day Before Sentencing
FBI Says Russian National Left the Country After Conviction in Multimillion-Dollar Stolen Merchandise Operation
Nikolay Almazov Krechet is a convicted fraud organizer who remains wanted by the FBI after leaving the United States immediately before he was scheduled to be sentenced in federal court. From at least 2014 through August 2015, Krechet led an organization involved in gift card fraud and the trafficking of merchandise obtained using stolen credit card information. The operation handled millions of dollars in fraudulent or stolen electronics and prepaid gift cards before Krechet was arrested and eventually convicted.
Unlike cases involving fugitives who disappeared before trial, Krechet had already been convicted when he fled. On May 4, 2018, he was convicted of one count of conspiracy to buy, sell, or possess stolen property and two counts of buying, selling, or receiving stolen property. Months later, with his sentencing scheduled, Krechet left the United States and directly informed the U.S. Attorney's Office by email that he had departed to avoid going to jail.
A Multimillion-Dollar Fraud and Resale Operation
Federal authorities describe Krechet as the leader of an organization that dealt in electronics, prepaid gift cards, and merchandise connected to stolen credit card information. The operation ran from at least 2014 through August 2015 and involved purchasing electronic merchandise and prepaid gift cards that had themselves been obtained using stolen credit card information. The goods and cards could then be converted into money through resale or additional purchases.
Krechet and members of his organization would resell electronic merchandise obtained through the operation. Prepaid gift cards could also be used to purchase additional electronics, which could then be resold for money. This created a process through which stolen financial information could ultimately be converted into physical merchandise and then into proceeds from resale.
Federal authorities say Krechet purchased and sold millions of dollars in fraudulent or stolen merchandise and gift cards. The size of the operation made it considerably more significant than individual instances of unauthorized credit card use. Krechet's position as the leader placed him at the center of an organization handling large quantities of merchandise acquired through fraudulent transactions.
Stolen Credit Card Information Fueled the Operation
The underlying source of the merchandise was stolen credit card information. Criminals who obtain compromised payment information can use it to purchase physical goods or gift cards, which can then be resold to convert the value of the stolen account information into money. Electronics are particularly attractive in this type of operation because expensive devices can retain significant resale value and can be sold through numerous channels.
Prepaid gift cards provided another method for transferring value. Cards obtained using stolen credit card information could be used to purchase additional merchandise, including electronics that could later be resold. This created another layer between the original stolen financial information and the eventual proceeds generated by the organization.
By buying and selling both the gift cards and the merchandise purchased with them, Krechet's organization operated within multiple stages of that process. Federal authorities ultimately attributed millions of dollars in fraudulent or stolen goods and cards to the operation. The investigation led to Krechet's arrest in Brooklyn, New York.
Krechet Arrested in Brooklyn
Krechet was arrested in Brooklyn on wire fraud charges as federal authorities moved against the operation. The arrest brought him into the federal court system and ultimately resulted in criminal proceedings that produced multiple convictions. His case eventually proceeded in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
The criminal prosecution focused on Krechet's involvement with stolen property and the organization he had led. On May 4, 2018, the case resulted in his conviction on three counts. Those convictions meant the criminal case had progressed beyond accusations and that Krechet was awaiting punishment from the federal court.
He was convicted of one count of conspiracy to buy, sell, or possess stolen property. He was also convicted of two counts of buying, selling, or receiving stolen property. His sentencing was scheduled for December 11, 2018.
Convicted in May 2018
The May 4 conviction represented a major turning point in the case. Krechet had been found guilty and faced sentencing for his role in the stolen property operation. The remaining question before the court was the punishment that would be imposed for those convictions.
Krechet remained subject to court-imposed release conditions while awaiting sentencing. Those conditions required him to remain available to the federal court and appear when ordered. Instead, federal authorities say he left the United States shortly before his scheduled sentencing date.
His departure was not discovered only after he failed to appear. On December 10, 2018, Krechet sent an email to the U.S. Attorney's Office stating that he had left the country to avoid jail. The message was sent just one day before he was scheduled to appear for sentencing.
Email Sent to Prosecutors After Leaving the Country
Krechet's email distinguishes his case from many other fugitive investigations. According to the FBI, he explicitly advised the U.S. Attorney's Office that he had left the United States to avoid incarceration. By the time authorities attempted to locate him at his West Hartford, Connecticut, residence, he was gone.
Krechet subsequently failed to appear for his scheduled sentencing. His absence meant the federal court could not complete the sentencing process following his May convictions. Authorities responded by obtaining a new federal arrest warrant connected to his violation of release conditions.
The timing was particularly significant. Krechet had remained in the United States throughout much of the criminal process but disappeared at the point when he was facing sentencing and the possibility of imprisonment. His email provided prosecutors with direct notice that his absence was intentional.
Authorities Believe Krechet Flew From Boston to Europe
Federal authorities believe Krechet most likely departed the United States from Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts. Investigators believe he took a flight from Boston to Lisbon, Portugal. From Lisbon, authorities believe he continued onward to Moscow, Russia.
The suspected route transformed the investigation from a domestic federal prosecution into an international fugitive case. Krechet was born in Russia and is a Russian national, making Moscow a particularly significant destination in the search for him. The FBI currently states that he is believed to be in Russia.
Authorities were unable to locate Krechet at his home in West Hartford, Connecticut. His failure to appear for sentencing, combined with his email and suspected international travel, led to the continuing federal effort to locate him.
Federal Arrest Warrant Issued the Same Day
On December 10, 2018, the same date Krechet emailed the U.S. Attorney's Office, a federal arrest warrant was issued by the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. The FBI lists him as wanted for violating the conditions of pre-trial release and probation in connection with wire fraud and his stolen-property offenses. That warrant remains outstanding.
Krechet's wanted status is therefore connected not only to the underlying fraud operation but also to his decision to leave the country before sentencing. He had already been convicted of the stolen-property offenses and was legally required to remain available to the federal court. His departure prevented the scheduled sentencing from taking place.
The FBI's Newark Field Office is responsible for the current wanted notice. Krechet remains listed among the bureau's Most Wanted white-collar crime fugitives as federal authorities continue seeking information concerning his whereabouts.
Who Is Nikolay Almazov Krechet?
Nikolay Almazov Krechet was born on November 1, 1970, in Russia. The FBI describes him as a Russian national approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing around 230 pounds. He has brown hair and gray eyes.
Federal authorities have identified numerous variations of his name and aliases. They include Nikolay Krechey, Nickolay A. Krechet, Nikolay A. Krechey, Nikolay Alma Krechey, Nikolay Krechet, and the nickname “Kolya.” These alternate identities may be particularly important in an international fugitive investigation where he could be encountered under a variation of his legal name.
The FBI has released multiple photographs of Krechet as part of its effort to locate him. Given that his disappearance occurred in 2018, his current appearance may differ from photographs taken before or during the original criminal proceedings. His physical description, aliases, nationality, and suspected location can therefore provide additional identifying information.
Krechet Is Believed to Be in Russia
The FBI currently states that Krechet is believed to be in Russia. His suspected travel route after leaving the United States supports that assessment, with authorities believing he traveled from Boston to Lisbon and then continued to Moscow. His Russian nationality and birthplace also provide significant connections to the country.
International fugitive cases can become considerably more complicated once the person sought by authorities leaves the jurisdiction of the United States. An arrest abroad can depend on the laws of the country where the fugitive is located, international cooperation, immigration circumstances, and other diplomatic or legal considerations. Nevertheless, the federal arrest warrant remains active.
A fugitive can also face potential consequences when traveling outside a country where avoiding arrest has been possible. International travel can create new opportunities for identification or detention depending on the destination and applicable legal arrangements. Information concerning Krechet's current residence or travel could therefore remain significant to investigators even years after his departure.
Gift Card Fraud as a Method of Converting Stolen Information
The operation Krechet led demonstrates why prepaid gift cards and consumer electronics can play an important role in financial fraud. Stolen credit card information has value to criminals only if it can ultimately be converted into something usable. Purchasing goods or prepaid cards can provide a way to turn compromised financial information into assets that can be transferred or resold.
Electronics can be especially useful because products such as phones, computers, tablets, and other devices may be relatively compact while carrying substantial retail value. A fraud operation can obtain the merchandise through unauthorized transactions and then resell it at a discount while still generating significant proceeds. Buyers further down the chain may not always know how the merchandise was originally obtained.
Gift cards can provide another step in the process because they can be used to make purchases without repeatedly using the original compromised credit card information. The merchandise purchased with those cards can then be resold, creating distance between the original unauthorized transaction and the final proceeds. Krechet's organization operated on a scale involving millions of dollars in merchandise and cards.
A Fugitive After Conviction
Krechet's case is notable because his flight occurred after a federal conviction rather than before authorities had established criminal responsibility for the underlying stolen-property offenses. By December 2018, he had already been convicted on three counts and was awaiting sentencing. His decision to leave prevented the court from completing that process.
His email to prosecutors also provided a direct explanation for his departure. Federal authorities state that Krechet told the U.S. Attorney's Office he had left the country to avoid jail. The message was sent one day before his sentencing date and was followed by his failure to appear in court.
Years later, Krechet remains listed on the FBI's current white-collar crime wanted list. The original stolen merchandise operation, his convictions, his suspected escape route, and his failure to appear for sentencing all remain part of the federal fugitive case.
Search for Krechet Continues
Nikolay Almazov Krechet remains wanted under the federal arrest warrant issued on December 10, 2018. He was convicted months before his disappearance of conspiracy to buy, sell, or possess stolen property and two counts of buying, selling, or receiving stolen property. Federal authorities say his organization handled millions of dollars in fraudulent or stolen electronics and prepaid gift cards.
The FBI believes Krechet is currently in Russia after most likely traveling from Boston to Lisbon and then to Moscow shortly before his scheduled sentencing. Anyone with information concerning his whereabouts should provide that information directly to the FBI or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate if outside the United States. Members of the public should not attempt to confront, follow, detain, or apprehend a wanted individual.
