What began as a customer complaint about a bracelet quickly spiralled into a public brawl in New York City’s Diamond District, as two rival jewellers clashed over allegations of fraud and brand impersonation.The incident took place on January 2 on West 47th Street, the heart of the Diamond District, when Maksud Agadjani, the owner of TraxNYC, walked into a neighbouring jewellery business, Akay Diamonds, visibly furious and demanding answers.According to Agadjani, one of his customers had recently bought a bracelet after being told it was a TraxNYC piece. The customer later discovered the jewellery was not what it was claimed to be. The bracelet, sold as 14-karat white gold with high-quality diamonds, allegedly tested as 10-karat gold with lower-grade stones. Agadjani says the buyer was shown TraxNYC’s website during the sale and left believing both businesses were connected.Angry over what he described as a deliberate attempt to use his name to deceive customers, Agadjani confronted the Akay brothers inside their shop. Video footage shows him shouting, slamming the bracelet onto the counter and demanding his money back as staff and shoppers looked on. The situation escalated rapidly. After Agadjani was initially escorted out, a second confrontation broke out moments later. Footage circulating online shows pushing, spitting and a group scuffle inside the shop, turning the dispute into a chaotic public fight.Police later arrested brothers George Akay, 46, and Freddy Akay, 42, charging them with assault. Agadjani, 39, was taken to Bellevue Hospital with visible marks on his neck. In videos posted from the hospital, he claimed he was strangled with his own chain during the brawl.Despite not being involved in the original sale, Agadjani said he refunded the customer $22,000 out of his own pocket. The day before the fight, he had publicly promised to refund any customers who believed they were misled using his brand name, offering their money back plus an extra 10 per cent.The altercation, captured on multiple phones and security cameras, has since gone viral, drawing tens of millions of views across social media. Many viewers praised Agadjani for standing up for a customer, while others criticised the confrontation for turning physical.As of January 3, police confirmed the arrests of the Akay brothers and said another individual received a summons, though authorities have not confirmed whether the fraud allegations themselves are under investigation. Akay Diamonds has not issued a public statement, and neither side could be reached for further comment.
