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 … [Read more...] about Lawsuit Adds More Intrigue to FBI Investigation
FBI
Mastro Employee Changes Plea
Former Mastro Auctions employee William Boehm is expected to plead guilty to making false statements to FBI investigators. A change of plea hearing was set for next Tuesday in U.S. District Court. Boehm, who worked in IT for Mastro, was indicted two years ago and had been slated to go to trial next month. He was facing charges of not being truthful to agents investigating … [Read more...] about Mastro Employee Changes Plea
Dealer Sentenced in Bogus Jerseys Case
One of several sports memorabilia dealers charged with mail fraud for selling fake game worn jerseys, will spend a year in prison. Mitchell Schumacher, who operated MS Sports out of the Milwaukee area, was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court to one year and one day in the federal prison system. He had pleaded guilty in November of 2011 to altering ordinary jerseys to … [Read more...] about Dealer Sentenced in Bogus Jerseys Case
Allen Pleads Guilty as Memorabilia Investigation Takes New Twist
Former Mastro Auctions President Doug Allen pleaded guilty to a charge of mail fraud Monday in federal court, but a plea agreement revealed a new twist in the case. Allen becomes the third member of the former Mastro Auctions group to plead guilty to shill bidding and other wrongdoing. According to the Chicago Tribune, Allen, now president of Legendary Auctions, … [Read more...] about Allen Pleads Guilty as Memorabilia Investigation Takes New Twist
News and Notes: Lawsuit Over Photos; NFL Player’s Stuff Missing; Burdick Letter
A collection of more than 250,000 vintage baseball images hangs in the balance after a lawsuit was filed recently in Arkansas. According to a report from ArkansasBusiness.com, the heir and former owner of the George Burke and George Brace Collection, filed a breach of contract lawsuit against North Little Rock businessman John Rogers and his company, which purchased the … [Read more...] about News and Notes: Lawsuit Over Photos; NFL Player’s Stuff Missing; Burdick Letter
Four Guilty in Fake Jersey Cases Now Serving Time in Federal Prison
Four sports memorabilia dealers who pleaded guilty to fraud charges last year over the sale of jerseys they falsely represented as game worn are now serving their time in the federal prison system while another is on court-ordered probation. Jarrod Oldridge, 39, the owner of JO Sports Co, is one of 2,290 inmates at a facility in Taft,CA. Sentenced to six months, he’s … [Read more...] about Four Guilty in Fake Jersey Cases Now Serving Time in Federal Prison
Two Sentenced in Jersey Fraud Case
Two of the five men who have pleaded guilty to mail fraud in connection with the sale of non-genuine game jerseys sold to well known card companies and collectors were sentenced in U.S. District Court on Wednesday. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago, Brad Wells, one of the principals in Florida-based Authentic Sports, Inc., and Historic Auctions, was … [Read more...] about Two Sentenced in Jersey Fraud Case
Court Papers: Fake Jerseys Ran Rampant at Card Companies
Two of the defendants who have pleaded guilty to fraud charges for selling bogus game-used jerseys are expected to be sentenced Wednesday while more information about the cases has been released in federal court. Documents indicate that sports trading card companies created large quantities of what were believed to be game-worn memorabilia cards that were instead made … [Read more...] about Court Papers: Fake Jerseys Ran Rampant at Card Companies
Mastro Pleads Guilty; Awaits Sentencing
Bill Mastro has pleaded guilty in a Chicago federal courtroom to mail fraud, officially acknowledged that he trimmed the $2.8 million T206 Wagner card and engaged in shill bidding. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that under the new plea agreement, the judge in the case won’t have to abide by federal prosecutors’ recommendations that his sentence be capped at 2 ½ years in … [Read more...] about Mastro Pleads Guilty; Awaits Sentencing
News and Notes from Day 2 at the NSCC
A few notes and a local TV segment from Day 2 of the 2013 National Sports Collectors Convention. There’s an FBI agent in the building this week. The unit that has been investigating hobby wrongdoing and already made several arrests over the last few years (and led to some guilty pleas) is based in Chicago. The agent has been a regular at the National for awhile … [Read more...] about News and Notes from Day 2 at the NSCC