Retired professor, accused of stealing jewelry, pleads guilty to fraud

Driving the news: Lawrence Gray, a D.C. resident and former professor at John Cabot University in Rome, agreed to pay nearly $56,000 in restitution to four people, the Washington Post reports.

• The recipients will include former U.S. ambassador Frederick Vreeland, who accused Gray of stealing several pieces of jewelry.

Context: Gray, 80, previously lived in the home of a Georgetown socialite, Jacqueline Quillen.

• But in 2020, her son alleged in a lawsuit that after her death, Gray stole tens of thousands of dollars worth of art and other valuables, including a diamond ring, a Patek Philippe watch and diamond earrings.

Gray, meanwhile, maintains he "did not steal their items" and that he only agreed to the plea deal to be able to visit his daughter's wedding in Italy, per the Post.

• "The only way I could get the passport back was to accept the plea," he told the newspaper.
• His attorney, Christopher Zampogna, told Axios they plan to file an appeal once he returns to court for sentencing, likely early next year.

"It's appalling that a serial thief gets away with so little punishment," said Sandra Vreeland Zwollo, the wife of the ambassador, in an email to the Post.