Bill Mastro -- What He Really Thinks of His Hobby Friends

[Rob D.]

Prediction: Jeff's post will spark responses of outrage and condemnation -- and, of course, the tiresome devil's advocate position.

Sadly, what it won't produce is one extra letter written to the judge.

R0b D3w0lf

[HRBAKER]

Yeah, but I never paid more than I was willing to pay, cough, cough.

[Peter_Spaeth]

According to Lew Lipset's 2013 letter, Mastro's "tendency to trim cards was well-known in the hobby" back in the day. Lew also quotes Mastro as saying "I will do anything to improve the appearance of any item or card." Docket Entry 114 for those keeping score. So the attitude expressed in this transcription is unfortunately not surprising.

I would like to know who is buying and trimming these sheets. Did Mastro speak to that? Can you tell us? I would think it's pretty tough to reproduce a factory cut, but maybe not?

[wonkaticket]

Between helping out at the church, sponsoring alcoholics, volunteering at the soup kitchen etc. how did Bill find the time to take advantage of his customers?

[Peter_Spaeth]

Moved to other thread so as not to hijack this one.

[Kenny Cole]

Originally Posted by wonkaticket

Between helping out at the church, sponsoring alcoholics, volunteering at the soup kitchen etc. how did Bill find the time to take advantage of his customers?

Paper cutter in the church basement is my guess. Easy to run down there when on a break from soup ladling.

[calvindog]

When Bill wasn't suffering from painful urination (yes, he mentioned that in his request for leniency) he was shill bidding like a madman. In the 12 auctions after April of 2007 -- after he learned he was under FBI investigation -- Mastro shill bid in over 1300 lots. One can only imagine how much fraud was going on before he found out the feds were on to him. Yet he argues in his sentencing memo that his shill bidding was "statistically infrequent."

[Peter_Spaeth]

According to Mastro's lawyers:
In addition to the relatively small average
pecuniary impact, Bill’s offense conduct touched a very small percentage of the auction house’s
total business: approximately 1% of the total lots sold by Mastro Auctions over 13 years, and a
fraction of its customer base. Bill’s misconduct, though it extended over a period of years, was
not systematic or, as numerous witnesses attest, characteristic of his business practice.

[judsonhamlin]

Originally Posted by calvindog

When Bill wasn't suffering from painful urination (yes, he mentioned that in his request for leniency) he was shill bidding like a madman. In the 12 auctions after April of 2007 -- after he learned he was under FBI investigation -- Mastro shill bid in over 1300 lots. One can only imagine how much fraud was going on before he found out the feds were on to him. Yet he argues in his sentencing memo that his shill bidding was "statistically infrequent."

Well there you go! "Your Honor, of all the people my client has met in his life, he has only killed one. That is statistically infrequent enough to be almost zero, and therefore a nullity". I need to remember that one. Basically calling all of it a rounding error. Great, just great.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by calvindog

When Bill wasn't suffering from painful urination (yes, he mentioned that in his request for leniency) he was shill bidding like a madman. In the 12 auctions after April of 2007 -- after he learned he was under FBI investigation -- Mastro shill bid in over 1300 lots. One can only imagine how much fraud was going on before he found out the feds were on to him. Yet he argues in his sentencing memo that his shill bidding was "statistically infrequent."

Are his lawyers misrepresenting the facts? Is there some technical or definitional issue that explains the discrepancy between their numbers and the ones you mention? It seems hard to reconcile. 1300 lots in 12 auctions can't be less than 1 percent can it?