The headline in a Detroit newspaper reads "alleged upscale art forgery" but a federal investigation into fancy paintings also includes a troubling discovery for collectors of sports memorabilia. On Tuesday, a team of more than 30 FBI agents raided the property of a Michigan man suspected of creating and selling phony artwork and sports-related items over a period of several … [Read more...]
Oregon Man Charged with Selling Fake Autographs
An Oregon man is facing theft charges over the sale of phony autographed memorabilia. Police in Eugene say Harold Gardner, 62, of Roseburg, sold sports items bearing signatures he said he’d inherited from his uncle, but were actually signed by Gardner himself. According to the Register-Guard of Eugene, the theft charges were filed last month by the Lane County … [Read more...]
Fake Kobe Autographs Keep Coming
Every time a major sports figure or entertainment celebrity passes on, the scam artists prey on fans and collectors. It was a major issue in 2016 when Muhammad Ali died and a virtually unlimited supply of fake signatures began showing up on eBay. Many sold for hundreds of dollars or more. Over the past three weeks, prices for Kobe Bryant autographed items have … [Read more...]
California Man Facing Federal Fraud Charges Over Fake Autographs
A California man is accused of selling more than $1 million in memorabilia that included forged signatures of sports figures, movie stars and other celebrities, federal prosecutors said Thursday. Anthony J. Tremayne, 51, a former resident of West Covina who now lives in Tijuana, Mexico, was arrested and charged in a 19-count federal grand jury indictment that was unsealed … [Read more...]
More Charges Against Accused McDavid Autograph Forger
New charges have been filed against a Canadian man accused of selling Connor McDavid jerseys with fake autographs after police say publicity surrounding the case led to more complaints from buyers. In April of 2018, it was reported that 23-year-old Chandra Vinesh Singh contacted several people via Facebook claiming he was employed by either the Edmonton Oilers Entertainment … [Read more...]
NBC News Story: Family Says Dealer Sold Them Large Amount of Bogus Autographs
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 … [Read more...]
Autograph Authenticator Steve Grad Says Forgers Getting Creative
It's National week in Chicago and Beckett's Steve Grad is a very busy guy. You couldn't tell that he’d just flown back to his home city from an event in London. The hobby’s biggest event kept his energy level somewhat akin to a third grader at recess. Grad, also well known as the autograph authenticator on the hit TV show, Pawn Stars, has been a … [Read more...]
Edmonton Police Nab Suspect; Take on Case of Fake Connor McDavid Jerseys
Police in Edmonton have made one arrest and are warning the public about a scam that involves fraudulent Connor McDavid autographs. Chandra Vinesh Singh, 23, is charged with two counts of possession of a forged document, fraud over $5,000, fraud under $5,000 and false pretense. Singh is also known to go by “Vinesh Singh” or “Vinny.” In April of 2018, it was reported that … [Read more...]
Florida Dealer Booted from 2018 NSCC Facing Charges Over Phony Autographs
A grand jury has indicted a Florida man on four counts related to selling phony autographs with his own certificates of authenticity at last summer's National Sports Collectors Convention. The prosecutor's office in Cuyahoga County, OH tells Sports Collectors Daily that Tony Podsada, who operated Signed Certified Memories, is facing charges of forgery, … [Read more...]
Heroes and Villains in the Fake Autographed T206 Story as More are Uncovered
While the recent exposure of some phony autographs on genuine T206 cards isn’t the biggest scandal in hobby history, it may be in the early stages and certainly worth the discussion it’s generating. On Wednesday, more fakes emerged including a Frank Baker, fully authenticated, that sold at auction for over $24,000 just one month ago. It's the latest in a … [Read more...]