Owner of Top Dollar Pawn in Pueblo, Colorado Springs arrested in multi-million dollar federal investigation
SOUTHERN COLORADO (KRDO) -- The owner of multiple pawn shops across Southern Colorado faces charges in connection to a federal money-laundering investigation.
Wednesday, multiple law enforcement agencies served several search warrants regarding a criminal organization and a Southern Colorado pawn shop with locations in Colorado Springs and Pueblo.
According to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD), they're part of a joint investigation into a multi-million dollar criminal organization involved in the sale of "large quantities of stolen property" at Top Dollar Pawn. Police say this involves the Colorado Springs and Pueblo locations.
CSPD says the search warrants for Top Dollar Pawn were served Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. People are asked to avoid the area due to the significant amount of law enforcement in the area. However, police say there is "no threat to the public."
Owner Jack Jargowsky was taken into custody along with three other individuals. The four suspects are accused of theft, pattern of racketeering, and 27 counts of money laundering.
The three others facing charges include Mischa Jargowsky, Walt Mauro, and Daria Mauro.
According to an indictment filed in the Fourth Judicial District, prosecutors allege Jargowsky engaged in a pattern of buying and selling stolen property. He and the others are accused of concealing that the items were stolen from retail stores before selling them in the pawn shops or through eBay.
Investigators believe the racketeering scheme started at the beginning of 2018.
Court records show that interviews with former employees allege those facing charges knew the items were stolen.
Investigators say it will take days to comb through evidence found at the stores.
In addition to the raids at the four Top Dollar Pawn shops, law enforcement conducted another raid at the Jargowsky residence in Pueblo.
The Colorado Springs Police Department was joined by the Pueblo Police Department (PPD), US Marshals Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in this investigation.
The Fourth Judicial District Attorney's Office said that individuals who pawned property at Top Dollar Pawn should contact the stores if they have questions. Law enforcement do not intend to seize property that was lawfully pawned.
