NBC News has aired a lengthy investigative story on a collection of baseball memorabilia purchased as an investment now believed to be fake.
A retired New Jersey firefighter, the late Charles Kerr bought items advertised as signed by Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays, Derek Jeter and other greats. Now his family believes he was swindled for over $100,000 by a dealer selling non-genuine autographs.
After receiving a phone call from an associate of Ralph Perullo requesting payment for items purchased on credit by Kerr, Jennifer Sullivan and her husband became suspicious. The daughter of Kerr’s long-time partner and her husband Brian took the items to James Spence Authentication. All of them failed. PSA concurred.
In the meantime, the Sullivans received multiple calls and letters from a man who said he worked as a “salesman” for Perullo, demanding payment and accusing them of running “a scam” to get out of paying for the autographs.
That’s when they contacted NBC News, which spoke with Perullo, his former associates, the FBI, the authenticators and the Sullivans.
You can read the story and watch the video here.
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