By Kevin Nelson (Editor’s note: This is the fifth and final installment in our series of special reports on Operation Bullpen and its effect on the collecting hobby today.) In the spring of 1999, months before the FBI would drop the hammer on him and his colleagues, forger Greg Marino was talking to his brother on the phone in southern California, expressing disgust for … [Read more...]
The Forgers’ Credo: Give ‘Em What They Want
Editor’s note: This is the fourth in our series of special reports on Operation Bullpen, the infamous national forgery ring that was brought down by the FBI in 1999 but whose influence continues to be felt today.) In the third installment in this series I talked about Greg Marino and his father Angelo, both of whom have paid their debt to society and moved on with their … [Read more...]
The Beautiful Forgeries That Most Collectors Will Never Buy
By Kevin Nelson (Editor’s note: This is the third in our series of special reports on the infamous Operation Bullpen conspiracy and its effects on the hobby today.) In our conversations for my book on Operation Bullpen, Greg Marino told me that he thought that during his five years as the chief forger of the ring he had signed a million autographs. “I mean, I did a … [Read more...]
FBI Has Plenty of Tools to Uncover Fraud
They won't acknowledge or comment on an active investigation, but it's no secret the FBI is continuing to put the sports card and memorabilia industry under the microscope. Allegations of fraud are nothing new in the hobby, of course. Operation Bullpen cleaned up one major forgery ring in the 1990s. There's no doubt that hobbyists are probably a little safer today thanks … [Read more...]
HBO Lawyers Seek Dismissal of Frangipani Suit
The network which produced a segment on autograph authentication says a U.S. court should throw out the libel claim made by Donald Frangipani. … [Read more...]