Former Mastro Auctions CEO Bill Mastro was released from the federal prison camp at Pekin, IL last month. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Mastro would have served about 18 months of a 20-month sentence handed down last August, two years after he admitted to various types of fraud from 2002-2009 including an ongoing shill bidding scheme. He began … [Read more...]
Theotikos Begins Federal Prison Sentence
Former Mastro Auctions Vice President Mark Theotikos has begun serving his prison sentence for mail fraud. Theotikos was assigned to the federal penitentiary in Marion, IL, just over 300 miles south of the company’s former offices in the Chicago area. He is one of approximately 206 inmates at a minimum security camp, located next to the medium security prison that … [Read more...]
Third Former Mastro Auctions Rep Sentenced
A third member of the now defunct Mastro Auctions team has been sentenced for his role in a long-running shill bid scheme. Mark Theotikos, 55, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison on Tuesday. His former bosses, Bill Mastro and Doug Allen, are already serving time. Last week, attorneys for Theotikos had asked for probation while U. S. Attorney Zachary … [Read more...]
Notes: Sentencing Delay; Roadshow Gold; Steiner Giving Mother’s Day Gifts
Sentencing for former Mastro Auctions employee Mark Theotikos has been delayed once again. Theotikos, who pleaded guilty to one count of fraud last year in connection with the long-running shill bidding scheme at Mastro, was supposed to be sentenced last week but that’s been postponed until May 31. Former CEO Bill Mastro is currently serving a 20-month federal sentence in … [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...]
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...]
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...]
Former Mastro Exec Pleads Guilty
The Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Legendary Auctions pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud in a Chicago federal courtroom on Tuesday. According to the Chicago Tribune, Mark Theotikos admitted to having a role in the practices of Mastro Auctions during his employment there that led to indictments against former company CEO Bill Mastro, President Doug Allen … [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...]