Feds say $7 M heist aided by mom's big black dress

At the trial of three Illinois family members who were charged of possessing and transporting stolen property across US states, federal prosecutors claimed that matriarch Lela Bogdanov used her billowy black dress to stuff items stolen from stores and walk out while family members stage a diversion.

Lela, her husband Branko and daughter Julia had been charged for stealing items and selling them to a middleman who would latter peddle them on online marketplace eBay, CNN said in a report. The items stolen reportedly range from toys, electronics and other stuff from retail stores across America.

According to prosecutors, Lela has stitched a special compartment in the blue lining of her black dress to store items that she would steal from retail shops. The prosecutors added that the scheme has been going on for around ten years and began to unravel when loss-prevention experts notice a massive number of merchandise at employers Barnes and Noble and Toys R Us were missing. CNN said prosecutors told a court that the items were traced to an eBay account and promptly alerted authorities about the matter.

The news agency said the alleged middleman is cooperating with law enforcement in lieu of the grand theft by the Bogdanov family, with prosecutors deciding to withheld the fence's identity for safety purposes.

Following the discovery of the missing items, Secret Service agents found the Bogdanovs at their home in Northbrook, Illinois on Wednesday and were subsequently arrested. The trio were reportedly back from an Oklahoma-Texas-Louisiana trip, and allegedly just wrapped up a series of thefts.

The US Attorney's office in Chicago stated that the couple earned over $4 million from selling stolen goods, which fetches over $7 million in retail value. Should they get convicted of their crimes, the trio will most likely face a 10-year sentence and pay a $250,000 fine and restitution, CNN said.

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Bogdanov retail heist, Bogdanov big black dress theft scheme

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