D.A. Files Charges in Theft of $1.2-Million Ruby

Prosecutors filed grand theft charges Tuesday against five men who allegedly were caught trying to sell a downtown Los Angeles jewel broker his own stolen $1.2-million ruby.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert L. Cohen said the five men also were in the jewelry business. They were identified in court records as Ali Reza Paravar, 41, of West Hills, who was arrested with the ruby three weeks ago; Rasekh Siddiqui, 50, of Chatsworth; Antranik Harboudian, 45, of Montebello; Behzad Saba, 33, of Irvine, and Rasheed Usmani, 33 of Encino.

The 6.76-carat Burmese ruby, valued at $527,280 wholesale and $1.2 million retail, was stolen in 1990. The suspects allegedly offered to sell it back to its original owner for $360,000.