Quote:
Originally Posted by Exhibitman
Why no REA, Greg? I've found REA to be among the least offensive and most professional AHs.
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I know he isn't running it anymore, but REA is Lifson's baby. Lifson, the library thief (a running ring stealing cards and then getting them into his buddies collections in some versions, a single incident while both high on drugs and drunk, during which he failed and was caught in his own telling). Lifson, the 'expert' who sold all the Halper fraud items as legit. Lifson, the President of Mastronet, a criminal fraud ring. Lifson, who was one of the guys getting card(s) juiced by shill bidding at said Mastronet according to the state. Could keep going, but you get the point.
A company founded and run for many years by this guy raises red flags for me. Don't deal with known thieves, fraudsters, or those who very suspiciously are always getting involved in frauds by their friends for decades. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and seems practically imprudent to enter into business with such organizations rooted in this kind of conduct. It has not been my experience that organization founded, run and shaped by such folks are likely to conduct themselves properly. REA has never sold something I needed bad enough to sign up with them; not sure there's anything I haven't secured yet that would make me flip around and do it anyways. I would not expect anyone to agree or draw the same boundaries I do, and am not claiming that those who make different choice are doing anything wrong. I lay no claim to virtue and do not expect those I conduct business with to possess it either, but I do expect them not to be repeatedly involved over decades in frauds and scams and thefts in the same kind of business as I am conducting with them. That this is such a difficult standard for card businesses to reach and that REA probably is one of the cleaner auction houses, tells one a lot about auction houses
