Abdallah Diaby, a 21-year-old male model, appeared in New York Supreme Criminal Court on Tuesday for a hearing related to a December 2025 heist at an upscale Manhattan boutique. Diaby faces charges of grand larceny, burglary, and criminal possession of stolen property in connection with the alleged theft of over $1 million in high-end merchandise from the SoHo retailer 4Gseller.
During the hearing before Judge Althea Drysdale, Diaby, who was dressed in a white button-up shirt, black slacks, and designer sneakers, stated, "Good morning." The court reviewed alleged video evidence in the case. When approached by reporters after the hearing, Diaby offered a brief, shy smile and laugh before covering his face with a paper.
Diaby has been out on supervised release since his arrest in February. Judge Drysdale noted that he has maintained a "stellar" report since his release and sternly cautioned him, "you cannot and must not be arrested." Diaby conferred with his defense attorney, Daniel Ollen, before leaving the courthouse. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecutors have offered Diaby a sentence of one to three years in prison, but his attorneys have not yet formally responded. A decision deadline has been set for November 10.
Two other individuals have also been charged in connection with the heist. Ebrima Bayo, 20, was arrested on May 19, and Treasure Gyamfi, 18, was arrested on April 16. Both face similar charges. Bayo is scheduled to appear in court again on September 20.
The burglary occurred shortly after 4:10 a.m. in December 2025. Surveillance footage showed a silver Ford SUV parked outside the store. Investigators stated that the suspects, disguised as construction workers, arrived in the vehicle, carrying a ladder. They allegedly climbed scaffolding to access the boutique through an upper level and broke into the store, with a fourth accomplice remaining outside. The owner of 4Gseller, Tommy Macari, described the incident to the New York Post as meticulously planned, remarking that it was "kind of like the movies." The thieves reportedly targeted rare items from brands such as Saint Laurent and Chrome Hearts, loading merchandise into the waiting vehicle within four and a half minutes before fleeing. Police arrived on the scene approximately 91 seconds after the suspects departed.
Diaby, who was previously represented by the modeling agency TWO MGMT and has a significant social media following, has remained active online since his arrest. He has shared modeling photos and videos of himself in New York City. His attorney declined to comment, and inquiries have been made to TWO MGMT for their statement.