Antiques and art dealer pleads guilty to federal charge stemming from $2.1 theft scheme

Date: July 22, 2026

Contact: [email protected]

David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that David L. Johnson of Greenwich pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell in New Haven to an offense stemming from his embezzlement of more than $2 million from an elderly victim and his estate.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Johnson operated an antiques business, Antique Treasures LLC, and an auction business, Greenwich Auction, both based in Stamford. In approximately October 2018, an individual ("the victim") executed a power of attorney, will, and trust naming Johnson as the victim's agent, executor, and successor trustee, respectively. Johnson was not a beneficiary of the victim's estate or trust. The victim died at the age of 87 in August 2020. After the victim's death, Johnson stole more than $436,000 from one of the victim's federal tax refund checks. The investigation revealed that Johnson stole a total of $2,168,719.24 from the victim and his estate.

To date, Johnson has paid approximately $1.1 million in restitution.

Johnson pleaded guilty to money laundering, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 30.

Johnson has been released on a $250,000 bond since his arrest on Dec. 18, 2025.

This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.

IRS-CI is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 18 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.