Jewellery Fight Erupts in NYC's Diamond District Over Fraud Claims
January 3, 2026
A customer complaint about a bracelet quickly turned into a public fight in New York City’s Diamond District on January 2. Maksud Agadjani, owner of TraxNYC, angrily confronted Akay Diamonds over a bracelet sold to a customer as a TraxNYC piece. The bracelet was claimed to be 14-karat white gold with high-quality diamonds but tested as 10-karat gold with lower-grade stones.
Agadjani said the buyer was shown TraxNYC’s website and believed both businesses were connected. He accused Akay Diamonds of using his brand name to trick customers. Video clips show Agadjani shouting, slamming the bracelet on the counter, and demanding a refund.
The situation escalated when Agadjani was first led out, but a second clash broke out soon after. Videos show pushing, spitting, and a physical fight inside the shop. Police arrested brothers George Akay, 46, and Freddy Akay, 42, on assault charges. Agadjani, 39, was taken to Bellevue Hospital with visible neck marks. He said in hospital videos, "I was strangled with my own chain during the brawl."
Though not involved in the original sale, Agadjani said he refunded the customer $22,000 from his own money. The day before, he had promised to refund customers misled by his brand plus an extra 10%.
The brawl videos went viral, gaining tens of millions of views. Many praised Agadjani for defending his customer, while some criticized the physical fight. Police confirmed arrests and a summons but did not say if they are investigating the fraud claims. Akay Diamonds gave no public comments, and both sides were unavailable for further remarks.
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Tags:
Diamond District
Jewellery Fraud
Jewellers Brawl
Maksud Agadjani
Akay Diamonds
Brand Impersonation
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