There were no arrests made, but law enforcement was present at the National Sports Collectors Convention this year. Sports Collectors Daily has learned that multiple FBI agents were at the Stephens Convention Center during the week and that several hobby businesses received subpoenas seeking sales lists, customer records and other material. The effort … [Read more...]
FBI Returns Brady’s Missing Super Bowl Jerseys to Patriots
Tom Brady's jerseys are back home. The FBI posted a photograph from the New England Patriots offices in Foxboro, MA Thursday afternoon, showing Brady's Super Bowl 49 and 51 shirts flanked by law enforcement officials and team owner Robert Kraft. The valuable jerseys were found in the possession of a Mexican publishing executive following an investigation that … [Read more...]
Judge Grants Sentencing Delay for 2 Former Mastro Execs
Sentencing for two former Mastro Auctions representatives who have pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges has been delayed until early 2016. Doug Allen and Mark Theotikos had been scheduled to learn their fate on October 14 but as first reported by the New York Daily News Tuesday, attorneys representing the two men filed a motion in U.S. District Court to postpone until … [Read more...]
Auction Exec Set to Change Plea in Federal Fraud Case
Legendary Auctions was scheduled to conduct a live sports memorabilia auction in Cleveland Friday night with its president and CEO facing federal fraud charges and apparently ready to plead guilty. Doug Allen will become the third former Mastro Auctions employee to admit to charges of shill bidding and other improper practices while helping run Mastro Auctions several years … [Read more...]
News & Notes: FBI to Return Some Items from AR search, NBA Exec Recalls Launch of Topps’ 69-70 Set
The FBI is planning to return some of the items confiscated during a search of Rogers Photo Archive last week, according to a media report in Little Rock, AR. The Arkansas Times quoted Blake Hendrix, the attorney for collector/dealer John Rogers, as saying an undetermined number of items seized when agents executed a search warrant would not be held. Agents involved in … [Read more...]
Editor’s Blog: Let’s Play Find the Forgers
In homes and offices across North America sit big, beautiful photographs. Expensive jerseys. Vintage display items. Signed baseballs. All purchased by those who wanted something to remind themselves of their favorite sport, favorite player or favorite moment in sports history. All cost hundreds, maybe a few thousand dollars. All bearing someone's John Hancock. Not … [Read more...]