$3 million seized from Atlanta-based jeweler

By Mashaun D. Simon

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The federal government has seized more then $3 million in assets from an Atlanta-based jewelry dealer.

In the order issued earlier this week, United States District Judge Timothy C. Batten forfeited $3,158,867 worth of assets from Chaplins, Inc. The total represents all company inventory and bank funds.

In 2007, Toros Seher, 41, was convicted and sentenced to six years in federal prison for money laundering. Seher is a former corporate employee and shareholder for the jewelry company.

Before joining Chaplin’s, Seher assisted drug dealers in laundering money between 1997 and 2002, according to court documents. In return, he received cash from the dealers for store merchandise.

After joining Chaplin’s, Seher continued his practices, documents show, including making three cash sales to undercover IRS agents exceeding $10,000. In addition, he coached the agents on how to falsify IRS tax forms required on major transactions.

In addition to Seher's sentence, the business was ordered to pay $351,000 in fines and placed on probation for five years.

This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Assistant United States Attorneys Evan Weitz and Jenny R. Turner prosecuted the case.