Wentz, Nash and Bill Mastro

[mok]

I have never posted on this site before because I like to let my stories speak for themselves. I most likely never will post here again for that reason. But I feel like I need to respond to some recent posts because they are so dishonest.

It amazes me how a post about a judge rejecting Bill Mastro's plea deal has turned into another round of bashing me. Michael Wentz began this attack by citing Hauls of Shame, a website run by one Peter Nash. Wentz, are you working in cahoots with Nash? Will you explain your relationship with him? Are you unaware of his numerous legal and financial problems?

One of the things people should know about this case is that the indictment handed down that charged Mastro with a count of fraud says Mastro Auctions sold an 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings Trophy Ball that had questionable authenticity. The 1869 trophy ball named in the indictment was consigned to Mastro Auctions by Nash, according to a lawsuit filed in 2011 in New Jersey federal court by collector Corey Shanus against Rob Lifson and Robert Edward Auctions.

Does that give Nash a reason to try to change the subject when Bill Mastro's plea deal comes up? Why would Wentz cite a post from a guy who is linked to what the government describes as a very sophisticated scheme to defraud collectors?

Both of these legal documents are available on the Internet. Don’t take my word for it. Look it up yourselves.

Nash, as I've said in numerous stories and blog posts in the past, has been involved in a series of lawsuits and financial battles in recent years that should raise questions abut the credibility of any allegation he makes. In recent years, it appears he's gone on a crusade to destroy Barry Halper's reputation. It is certainly true that Barry Halper bought and sold items of questionable provenance. In fact, I have reported on some of those deals, which means Wentz doesn’t know what he’s talking about when, citing Nash, he claims we have not reported on some of the controversy regarding Barry’s collection.

http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/...



http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/...ticle-1.514248

Why has Nash made such an effort to attack Halper? Why portray the guy as the Madoff of memorabilia? I've tackled the issue in some of my stories and blog posts. You can look them up if you like via Google.

But don't take my word for it. Here's what Murray Chass, longtime baseball writer for The New York Times and one of the best baseball writers in the country, had to say about the topic:

http://www.murraychass.com/?p=3644

The Nash-penned story Murray refers to in his column, by the way, is no longer available online. Did the Post kill it it because its editors were afraid of litigation?

Here’s what Sports Illustrated had to say about Nash:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ash/index.html

Now, Wentz, again citing Nash’s website, says I am involved in some sort of mysterious coverup. But it seems to me like Wentz was involved in covering up the true story behind the Gretzky T206 Wagner card for a long time.

When I was doing research for my book The Card, I heard from numerous sources that Wentz and his brother had pictures that showed the Gretzky T206 Wagner before it was trimmed by Mastro.

As we reported in the book, the Wentz boys had told our sources that they had had a falling out with Mastro and that they would use the photos as the centerpiece of a book, film or lawsuit to discredit Bill. I asked them about the photos numerous times. They always acknowledged they had them but refused to give them to me. Instead, they said they wanted to discuss it amongst themselves and told me to call back in a week or so. After a while, I stopped calling. They seemed more interested in playing games and acting like they were very important power brokers than having an honest conversation.

If Wentz had these photos seven years ago (or longer), why didn't he and his brother go public with them? Why not address the controversy then?

I spoke at one of Leon’s gatherings at the National a few years ago and one of those Wentz blowhards said my reporting in the book regarding those pictures was false. Someone got up and said, that's bull, that the Wentz boys told him they were going to use those photos to screw Mastro years ago. There were dozens of people in the room at the time.

As far as Ray Edwards and John Cobb are concerned, I’ve never said their card is authentic. I’ve never said it is inauthentic. It is not my place to determine that. I thought it was interesting that these two men have spent so much time and effort trying to prove their card is real. So have plenty of other media outlets.

Bill Mastro spent Tuesday afternoon in a federal court, looking at 30 months in prison for defrauding collectors. But Wentz and others would rather talk about Ray and John? Some of you guys call them scammers, con men and fraudsters. You are accusing them of being criminals. Who have they ripped off? What crime did they commit? It seems to me the only people they have hurt are themselves for wasting so much time trying to prove the authenticity of this card. Mastro, meanwhile, looks like he is going to prison for defrauding collectors! He was investigated for years by the FBI and prosecuted by the Justice Department? Why did Wentz hijack that thread and change the subject?

Wentz claims he knows Ray and John know their card is a fake. He says he had some kind of confrontation with them at a show in the past. I asked Ray about this a while ago. Ray said it is complete bullshit. Wentz, can you prove your allegation? Was there another witness besides you and your brother? You are accusing them of a fraud, which is a crime. Prove it or shut up.

Race is always a tricky subject in America. The fact that these gentlemen are black and virtually everybody I’ve met in your hobby is white is a fact of life, one bound to have ramifications whether you like it or not. Some people on this board, as we reported in The Card, have posted some ugly things about these guys based on race. They may not have intended them to be ugly, but they sounded ugly to me.

Just recently, Leon said he believes these guys think “whitey” is out to get them. I’ve never heard either of these men use such a racially charged word or any other ethnic slur. Unlike the vast majority of the people on this board, I’ve spoken to Ray on numerous occasions, and I have never heard him use "whitey" or any other racial slur. So why escalate things by using words they have never used?

I left Leon a message that questioned that choice of words. In my mind, it would be like Ray or John accusing a Net 54 member of using the N-word when it was not true. Leon got confused and claimed in a post that I called him a racist. That was not the case; we spoke about it today and he apologized for that post. I have accepted his apology.

I understand some – many – of you don’t like Ray and John. That’s your business. I'm not going to try to change your opinion. But again: Why do some of you guys get so worked up about Ray and John while snoozing past the fact Bill Mastro is apparently going to prison for defrauding collectors?

Finally, a note to Steve F, also known as Ladder 7. It’s D-O-U-C-H-E, not D-O-O-S-H. Learn to spell before you start calling people names.

Michael O’Keeffe
mokeeffe@nydailynews.com