Overview
- Pezhman Gilani Yahyavi, 46, and Mahmood Bashang, 30, face a Class 4 felony count of disorderly conduct for falsely reporting a crime, according to DuPage County prosecutors.
- Authorities allege Yahyavi intentionally drove off the road around 6:30 p.m. Sunday so Bashang could call 911 to report a fake robbery of mostly 14-karat gold jewelry worth $1.5 million to $2 million.
- Investigators concluded no robbery occurred after a full-scale response by Elmhurst, Bensenville and Rosemont agencies that officials said consumed significant resources.
- Police said the men had taken out an insurance policy the week of the jewelry show, surveillance video showed no car following them, and statements conflicted with the 911 call.
- Detectives reported finding the supposedly stolen jewelry in a safe at Yahyavi’s home and said Bashang later admitted the story was fabricated; both defendants were released on monitoring pending their next court date.