Couple Charged In Diamond Theft Ring Remains In Jail

SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- The husband and wife accused of coordinating a large diamond theft ring will not be released from the Fulton County Jail any time soon.

That's because Fulton County Superior Court Judge John Goger on Tuesday upheld a previous ruling denying bond for Eliahu E. Shetrit and Ayelet C. Ellituv. The motion for reconsideration of bond was filed by the couple's defense attorneys.

The pair have been charged with violating the Georgia RICO -- racketeering -- Act, identity fraud, theft by taking, forgery in the third degree, computer theft, theft of services and Georgia securities violations, the Fulton County District Attorney's Office said.

According to the 58-count indictment issued in February, the duo orchestrated a "massive" Ponzi scheme between November 2012 and August 2014. The operation spanned the East Coast, and victimized 10 residents in Sandy Springs, two New York residents, a diamond wholesale business and a Fortune 500 company.

The district attorney's office contends both defendants have a history of attempting to evade arrest. In 2015, after an arrest warrant was issued by the Sandy Springs Police Department, Ellituv was found at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City, waiting to board an international flight.

After both defendants were apprehended, they received a conditional bond and were required to surrender their passports. Shetrit surrendered his to the state on March 3, 2015, but just 24 hours later, he petitioned the Israeli Embassy for a one-way travel permit for citizens who lost passports.

According to NBC Connecticut, after the pair was granted bond in 2015, they went on the run again and settled in the northeast.

They were arrested in mid-February after turning themselves in to authorities. The station reported that the couple was living a "lavish" lifestyle, which included renting a mansion owned by a former politician.

Fulton County District Attorney's Office Director of Public Affairs Dontaye Carter said the arraignments for Shetrit and Ellituv have not been scheduled.

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