Upper Gwynedd Police Photo by James Short.
A Maryland man is charged with felony counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, theft, theft by deception, and receiving stolen property for allegedly offering a PS5 Pro for $2,500 on Facebook Marketplace and then keeping the money from a buyer and blocking them on social media.
Christopher Bijan Shahsavar, 32, of the 13000 block of Wilton Oaks Drive, Silver Spring, MD, was charged Wednesday by Upper Gwynedd Police with the offenses that occurred between September and October 2024, involving a Gwynedale Way resident, police said.
On Dec. 1, 2024, police were contacted by the resident, who said they had agreed to send Shahsavar two payments for a $2,500 PlayStation 5 Pro 30th Anniversary Edition listed on Facebook Marketplace, according to the affidavit.
To purchase the PS5, someone would have to pre-order the unit several months before and then wait until delivery around the release date at the end of November 2024, police said. Shahsavar, police allege, agreed to accept partial payment from the victim until the unit arrived. Thus, the victim sent $1,250 via Venmo on Sept. 27 and then another $1,250 on Oct. 24, police said.
Both payments were made to “Chris Bodybuilding” with the handle “@mister-anabolic”, police said.
Shahsavar allegedly blocked the victim on Facebook and Venmo, and the victim could not get a hold of the defendant.
Via search warrant, investigators received Venmo transactions that showed Shahsavar as the account holder, along with his complete name, address, date of birth, Social Security Number, mobile phone, and email, police said.
Police said Shahsavar transferred the payments to a Bank of America account. Investigators said they traced the payments to the defendant via warrants through Verizon and Bank of America, which allegedly showed Shahsavar’s digital history of the transactions and internet use.
On Feb. 17, 2025, police interviewed Shahsavar, who allegedly confessed his involvement in the theft and never had the intention to deliver the product. Police said Shahsavar admitted to closing all lines of communication with the victim by deleting his Facebook account.
He then allegedly told police he could repay the victim immediately.
Shahsavar is free on $10,000 unsecured bail, set at preliminary arraignment by Magisterial District Judge Richard H. Welsh. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 27 at 10 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Suzan Leonard.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
