A federal prosecution in Western Washington is offering a rare look at what happens after the viral smash-and-grab thefts that have flooded social media and nightly news broadcasts in recent years.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington, a Bellevue and Las Vegas man has pleaded guilty for his role in a large-scale stolen goods trafficking operation that investigators say generated millions of dollars by reselling merchandise taken from retail stores and funneled into online marketplaces.
From storefront thefts to online monetization
Federal prosecutors say Andrey A. Balun, 58, co-owned a Burien storefront operating as We Buy Gold, Silver, and Electronics, which knowingly purchased stolen merchandise from individual sellers, often referred to in court filings as “boosters.”
The goods were then resold through storefronts on Amazon and eBay, turning retail theft into what investigators described as a high-volume, national distribution business. Between 2021 and mid-2023 alone, the operation generated more than $4.5 million in sales. When search warrants were executed in December 2023, law enforcement seized more than 74,000 stolen items valued at approximately $2.4 million.
Research from the National Retail Federation (NRF) shows that roughly 45% of organized retail theft fencing operations use online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay to convert stolen goods into cash. The median value of merchandise handled by a typical fencing operation before law enforcement intervention is around $250,000, illustrating how quickly stolen merchandise can be monetized once it enters an e-commerce pipeline.
Why this case matters in the broader retail theft conversation
In recent years, viral videos showing coordinated thefts at pharmacies, big-box stores, and beauty retailers have circulated widely online. While those clips often focus on the theft itself, the Balun case highlights the less visible monetization stage that allows those thefts to continue.
While the case itself focuses on conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce, it provides insight into a question frequently raised:
How do organized retail thefts actually make money?
- Stolen goods acquired in bulk
- Merchandise purchased far below retail value
- Security devices still attached or forcibly removed
- Inventory rapidly listed online and shipped across state lines
- Cash payments to theft crews and reinvestment into continued operations
According to prosecutors, the Burien storefront functioned as an aggregation point, buying over-the-counter medications and health and beauty products from multiple sellers, then distributing those goods nationwide through e-commerce platforms. Investigators documented more than 150,000 individual online transactions connected to the scheme.
Industry estimates suggest that retail theft costs U.S. retailers tens of billions of dollars each year, with online marketplaces serving as a key outlet for reselling stolen merchandise. While not all online listings involve stolen goods, research and industry reports indicate that organized retail theft rings rely heavily on these platforms to monetize stolen merchandise.
Federal agencies treated it as more than local theft
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from multiple local law enforcement agencies and the Internal Revenue Service. That mix of agencies typically reflects concerns involving interstate commerce, large-scale financial flows, and organized criminal activity rather than routine retail theft.
Prosecutors also traced proceeds from the operation to real estate purchases, including a home in Las Vegas, further underscoring the financial scale involved.
Sentencing ahead
Balun has agreed to forfeit $1 million as part of his plea agreement. He faces up to five years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for March 2026. His co-defendant, Vitaliy F. Bobak, is scheduled for sentencing earlier in the year.
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