Yoga studio owners accused Dennis Rodman of stealing a 400-pound amethyst crystal
- A yoga studio owner in Newport Beach, California, has accused former NBA player Dennis Rodman of stealing a 400-pound amethyst crystal, among other goods.
- Rodman and three others are accused of stealing $3,500 total worth of goods, the studio owners Ali and Ariana Shah said.
- The owners of Vibes Hot Yoga of told the LA Times that Rodman entered their studio on two separate occasions, taking everything from clothing to the crystal, which was shattered in the transportation process.
- Rodman denies the accusations.
- He told CBS LA that he was told, "Dennis, get anything you want."
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The owners of a yoga studio in Newport Beach, California, have accused former NBA star Dennis Rodman of being involved in two alleged robberies in which thousands of dollars worth of goods were stolen, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Ali and Ariana Shah, who own Vibes Hot Yoga, said they watched the incident in real-time on security footage. The first alleged robbery happened around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, before the studio was supposed to close.
Ali told the LA Times that he watched a man who he identified as Rodman and three others — a man, a woman, and an alleged former Vibes employee — enter the studio. Then, the foursome allegedly distracted an on-duty employee so they could steal the 400-pound amethyst crystal, which was for sale for $2,500 at the time, the LA Times reported.
The on-duty employee said the group told her the "ginormous geode amethyst crystal" belonged to one of them — and they were there to take it back. "They gave me false information," she said.
"[Rodman] asked me to show him the studio," the employee said.
While the employee was distracted with giving the 58-year-old former LA Laker a tour, Ali Shah was at home watching the alleged robbery on camera.
Shah told the LA Times that he saw one woman put merchandise in her bag.
Meanwhile, another man tried to move the amethyst on his own. He dropped the heavy rock on the ground, leading it to shatter and leaving a glittery trail of dust and glass behind, Shah told the newspaper. All told, the drop caused $5,000 worth of damage to the floor.
After watching for 20 minutes, Shah called the Newport Beach Police Department, who arrived about 10 minutes later. By the time they arrived on the scene, the foursome was gone.
On Wednesday, Rodman and a woman who Shah said was there the previous day, were allegedly waiting outside the studio before it opened at 4:30 p.m. for a class.
Shah told the LA Times that the two proceeded to distract an on-duty employee so they could take more merchandise. In total, he said they were in the studio for about 10 minutes that day.
Rodman denied the accusations
In total, Rodman and the three others have been accused by the Shahs of stealing thousands of dollars worth of goods, though charges have yet to be filed.
In addition to the massive crystal, the group is accused of stealing more than $500 worth of clothing from brands like Spiritual Gangster and Lululemon, the LA Times reports. The New York Daily News reports that the group stole over $3,500 worth of material items.
Speaking to TMZ, Rodman denied the accusations, claiming the merchandise was given as as gift. "They gave us the clothes," he said.
He echoed that sentiment in a different interview with CBS LA.
"He said, 'Dennis, get anything you want,'" Rodman told the outlet. "I said, 'OK, great.'"
Shah told the LA Times that he thinks "this is a weird, freak situation." It will not change the way they operate their yoga business going forward.
The owners of Vibes Yoga Studio say that they have filed a police report about the situation. A representative for the Newport Beach Police department didn't immediately return INSIDER's request for comment.
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