GIA Investigation—Closed?

By Rob Bates -- JCK Online, January 1, 2008

The Gemological Institute of America bribery scandal, which consumed the trade for a year and led to a change in the institute's top management, may no longer be under investigation by federal authorities, according to a report in Women's Wear Daily.

According to an item on the publication's blog, Lev Leviev, a former partner in Vivid Collection, whose lawsuit brought the scandal to light, told WWD that "to his knowledge, the cased [sic] is closed."

One of Vivid's principals is said to be in hiding, the newspaper added.

GIA has said it has turned any information about bribery at its lab over to federal investigators but has no knowledge if there is an investigation.