BEVERLY HILLS—On April 2, Jobson Marangoni De Castro, 38, pleaded guilty to stealing over $1 million in items from a luxury hotel in Beverly Hills and then traveling with the stolen goods to the state of Florida to sell.
According to a Department of Justice press release, on May 10, 2023, De Castro was brought to the hotel by an Uber driver. He was then able to enter the hotel room of two Brazilian National travel companions who were visiting the U.S. to attend a fashion event.
De Castro was able to access the victim’s room by tricking the hotel clerk on duty into giving him a[his] key.
Surveillance video footage captured at the scene revealed that the suspect initially entered the victim’s room while they were sleeping. Seeing that the room was occupied, De Castro quickly exited without notice.
He returned to the room once the victims left for dinner. The victims reported the theft upon their return to the hotel.
Prosecutors in the case contend that De Castro stole high-end suitcases containing approximately $1.8 million in jewelry, and other items including, but not limited to, a custom-made aluminum RIMOWA carry-on bag, several black Tumi suitcases, a white embroidered silk jacquard Chanel dress, along with other high-end clothing, a watch valued at nearly $90,000, jewelry, and air tags.
Reports indicate that it took De Castro multiple trips to strip the room of all of the merchandise.
The following information came directly from the DOJ press release.
“De Castro then traveled to Miami and, on May 17, 2023, messaged a buyer in Miami on Instagram. De Castro told the buyer he wanted to sell jewelry – a diamond necklace and luxury watch – but he did not have papers for them because he had found them in a box belonging to his late mother. The jewelry matched the description of that stolen from the victims in Beverly Hills a few days earlier, according to court documents. The next day, the buyer wired De Castro $50,000, for the jewelry, which De Castro brought to the buyer’s store in Miami.
The name De Castro provided to the buyer was “Jobs Marangoni,” the same name he used for his Uber account.
De Castro has been in federal custody since August 2023.
Jobson Marangoni De Castro, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.”
The FBI and the Beverly Hills Police Department are investigating the theft. The Assistant U.S. Attorney, Alexander Gorin of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. District Judge, Hernan D. Vera scheduled an evidentiary hearing for De Castro on April 30, to determine the extent of the loss.
A sentencing hearing is expected to be scheduled in the next few months.
By Sharon