57 months.

[Brian Van Horn]

Just confirmed that Doug Allen received a 57 month sentence.

Toiletries on their way:

[trobba]

wow, was that the max possible?

I vaguely recall it ranging from high teens to about 60 months?

[Jobu]

Is that soap on a rope? If so, send ropeless.

[Brian Van Horn]

He pleaded guilty to one count.

[rebelsart]

Story from Sports Collectors Daily:

http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com...-to-57-months/

[RichardSimon]

Originally Posted by Brian Van Horn

Just confirmed that Doug Allen received a 57 month sentence.

Toiletries on their way:

Gives him plenty of time to improve his tennis game.

[Tennis13]

Originally Posted by RichardSimon

Gives him plenty of time to improve his tennis game.

Is he a tennis player? Only prison I know with a tennis court is San Quentin

[batsballsbases]

Best news I have had all day! Funny I wonder what the sentence would have been if Big mouth Doug hadnt tipped off John Rogers! Seems it pissed the FBI guys off!

[irv]

Originally Posted by rebelsart

Story from Sports Collectors Daily:

http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com...-to-57-months/

Doug Allen Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison

Doug Allen Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison
February 8, 2016 By Rich Mueller

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Legendary Auctions President and former Mastro Auctions executive Doug Allen was sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison Monday morning.

Judge Ronald Guzman concurred with the recommendation filed by prosecutors last week in the long-running case against one of several Mastro officials. Under federal sentencing guidelines, they could have asked for a longer sentence but Allen’s lack of prior criminal activity factored into the decision to seek a 57-month term.

Doug Allen
Legendary Auctions’ Doug Allen
Allen, 56, pleaded guilty in 2014 to one count of mail fraud after an investigation revealed a series of deceptive practices, including shill bidding, a practice designed to inflate prices paid by bidders and to protect the interests of consignors and sellers at the expense of unwitting customers.

His sentencing comes four months after former company CEO Bill Mastro received a 20-month term for his role in illegal activity that went on at what was once a powerful force in US District Court Sealthe world of sports memorabilia.

Prosecutors say Allen used a corporate bidding account, personal accounts and accounts of employees and friends to carry out the shill bidding scheme. The activity drove many realized prices higher than they should have been.

In addition to artificially driving up prices, government prosecutors alleged that Mastro and Allen sold certain items knowing that their authenticity and condition were misrepresented to customers. Among the complaints: Allen failed to disclose alterations and caused restoration work on a rare T206 Eddie Plank card that passed authentication and sold for more than $50, 000 and ignored the results of lab testing on a purported 19th century trophy ball that was actually made at a later date.

Allen, who was president and chief operating officer of Mastro Auctions between 2001 and February 2009, was originally charged with 14 counts of wire and mail fraud. He is still listed as President and CEO of Legendary Auctions, which he formed after Mastro dissolved his business several years ago when federal agents came knocking. Legendary’s last auction was held in June of 2015.

Allen will surrender to authorities on May 9. He was also fined $20,000 but was not sentenced to any restitution.

In a pre-sentence investigation report, Allen’s attorneys asked Guzman to limit Allen’s sentence to 18 months, two less than Mastro received but government lawyers disagreed when they filed their own report last week. They say Allen tipped off another subject, believed to be business associate John Rogers, about an imminent visit from FBI investigators, putting agents at risk.

“The 18 month term requested by defendant is not appropriate and will serve to send the wrong message that defendant’s crime and his obstruction of the FBI’s investigation is not serious,” Derek Owens and Steven Dollear wrote in court papers filed last week.

Prosecutors wrote that Allen “had multiple opportunities to end the fraud but did not. Instead of stopping after he learned about the FBI investigation in 2007, defendant continued with the fraud scheme – which demonstrates little respect for the law.”

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Allen apologized for his actions in court Monday and hugged sobbing family members after the proceeding.

Mastro is currently in a minimum security prison camp in central Illinois. Where Allen serves his time won’t be determined until this spring.

Another Mastro executive, Mark Theotikos, is scheduled for sentencing April 27.

[Jeffrompa]

No conspiracy ? No tax evasion ? No racketeering ? The Feds must be slipping .

[Joshchisox08]

Originally Posted by Jeffrompa

No conspiracy ? No tax evasion ? No racketeering ? The Feds must be slipping .

I'm assuming that Mr. Allen had money. Probably had something to do with it.

[Exhibitman]

You know, if they send Doug to the prison where Bill is, they can work on their next auction...

[bostonmarathonman]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

You know, if they send Doug to the prison where Bill is, they can work on their next auction...

Nice!

[vintagewhitesox]

Originally Posted by trobba

wow, was that the max possible?

I vaguely recall it ranging from high teens to about 60 months?

The statutory max is 20 years. And I can tell you that nobody who has little to no criminal history is going to get the max on a run of the mill wire fraud case. The feds routinely take guilty pleas on 1 count, and dismiss the other counts. It does not matter for sentencing.
57 months is a fair sentence for the type of loss Allen incurred. Any time in a federal institution is pretty harsh, let alone 4 1/2 years.

[Brian Van Horn]

Another link about the sentencing:

http://nydn.us/1QRiCvT

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

You know, if they send Doug to the prison where Bill is, they can work on their next auction...

If they send him where Aaron Hernandez is, he could acquire some great "prison-worn" uniforms.

[Brian Van Horn]

Originally Posted by Mark17

If they send him where Aaron Hernandez is, he could acquire some great "prison-worn" uniforms.

Oh, I can just picture that autograph session!

[pokerplyr80]

Any thoughts on if Allen deserved or why he received a sentence 3 times longer than Mastro? I'm sure many will feel they both deserved more, but am only referring to the differences in their sentence.

[Brian Van Horn]

Originally Posted by pokerplyr80

Any thoughts on if Allen deserved or why he received a sentence 3 times longer than Mastro? I'm sure many will feel they both deserved more, but am only referring to the differences in their sentence.

Jesse,

First one in who flips on the others gets the best deal.

[drcy]

Originally Posted by pokerplyr80

Any thoughts on if Allen deserved or why he received a sentence 3 times longer than Mastro? I'm sure many will feel they both deserved more, but am only referring to the differences in their sentence.

He was going to get a much shorter sentence-- half off for cooperating with the Feds, it was already agreed upon-- but was caught telling the person he was supposed to be be secretly taping for the FBI that he was wearing a wire and telling him what the FBI would be looking for. The prosecution dropped the deal and asked for significantly more time.

[jboosted92]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

You know, if they send Doug to the prison where Bill is, they can work on their next auction...

Savage! lol...


I wonder what the consignment fees are? a Pack of smokes ?

[jboosted92]

Originally Posted by jboosted92

Savage! lol...


I wonder what the consignment fees are? a Pack of smokes ?

Allen/Mastro Prison Auctions:

Auction Opening : May 9th 2016
Auction Closing: February 9th 2021

Auction Highlights:

1. A brand new 2016 shank, from our orignial consignor, former skull cracker of the Latin Kings

2. Game Used Pocket. Pocket Grabbed by our own Bill Mastro attached to Inmate Lance "Safeword is Ouch" Lynn...

[Vintagecatcher]

Other than perhaps a George Gibson photo, I can't remember ever winning any items with Mastronet or Legendary Auctions.

However, I did have contact with Doug Allen when I first started chatting on the original Full Count Baseball Chat Board. As luck would have it, Doug mentioned that he had put in a place marker bid on a lot of 1910 Tip Top Bread cards, and to his surprise the bid held up.

I had been looking to upgrade my beat up 1910 George Gibson D322 for years, and I traded Doug a Gabby Street scrap T206 (catching) with only yellow and brown colors for the Gibson D322. It's always been one of my favorite cards in my collection.

At the time, I remember chatting with Doug about him starting a new job with a baseball auction company in Chicago, and I remember thinking, "what a perfect job...lucky guy."

Now 15 years later I can only think.....what a waste.

A cautionary tale of greed!


Patrick

[Yoda]

I recall on the same Full Count board Doug went public and stated that on any raw high-value cards with small light wrinkles consigned to Mastro their "pros" would take care of the problem and the improved card submitted to a grading company. Yikes! Clearly, he has been business bent for a long time. John

[forazzurri2axz]

Originally Posted by vintagewhitesox

The statutory max is 20 years. And I can tell you that nobody who has little to no criminal history is going to get the max on a run of the mill wire fraud case. The feds routinely take guilty pleas on 1 count, and dismiss the other counts. It does not matter for sentencing.
57 months is a fair sentence for the type of loss Allen incurred. Any time in a federal institution is pretty harsh, let alone 4 1/2 years.

baby ?? Bill

[turtleguy64]

funny,same thing happened when a friend asked me what auction house to submit his 1959 Fleer Ted Signs For #68 card.He told Doug that it had a surface defect.Was told not to worry.Next auction ,it went in at a PSA7 grade and no qualifiers.