The FBI is continuing its investigation into the activities of various individuals in the sports memorabilia industry and now comes word of a lawsuit involving a seven-figure purchase of baseball memorabilia.
A northern California collector’s lawsuit against John Rogers and his Arkansas-based Rogers Photo Archive is the latest entry into a long and winding journey that began in 2006. The suit was first reported Saturday by the New York Daily News.
In papers filed in California Superior Court earlier this year, Mark Roberts says he purchased over $2 million of memorabilia between 2006 and 2010 for use on a new baseball history website, NationalPastime.com, only to discover many of the photos that were part of the buy were reproductions.
The suit also claims Roberts bought what had been touted as an 1858 trophy ball from Rogers. That piece had been acquired from Robert Edward Auctions, which had obtained it from collector Peter Nash as part of collateral for unpaid loans REA had made to the former rapper. However, when the ‘Fashion Course’ trophy ball was sent off for testing by the curator of the National Pastime website, the late Frank Ceresi, it was discovered to have been made of material that did not date to 1858.
When asked about the ball in a court deposition, Nash refused to divulge details about its origin.
The FBI is well aware of the photos and memorabilia and continues its attempts to sniff out the truth.
Read the full story in the Daily News.
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