I'm wondering if I just discovered Coach's Corners ebay name?

[RichardSimon]

A strong attempt was made with the Feds. Nothing came of it.

[Leon]

Been there done that. That is why I phrased my question the way I did. If I sign Babe Ruth on a ball today, and some jackwad gives his opinion it's real, it's not a crime. That is the issue in a nutshell. There has to be clearly provable fraud. And that is very difficult if someone only gives their opinion (as bad as it may be).

Originally Posted by RichardSimon

A strong attempt was made with the Feds. Nothing came of it.

[RichardSimon]

The Feds can make a case if they want to.
The ones involved in this did not want to go far enough.
Criminals in this business have been trapped by undercover operations. By secretly buying a number of things, by getting someone inside to turn, etc.
I am sure that CC's books will show a very limited number of consignors. Probably only two or three and those are the forgers.

[keithsky]

Maybe I'm watching to much CSI and this is really reaching but since the baseballs are clearly fake wouldn't there be fingerprints or DNA on the baseballs to run in a criminal database to see if anything pops up. Probably the forgers are wearing gloves so it wouldn't be possible but just a thought.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by keithsky

Maybe I'm watching to much CSI and this is really reaching but since the baseballs are clearly fake wouldn't there be fingerprints or DNA on the baseballs to run in a criminal database to see if anything pops up. Probably the forgers are wearing gloves so it wouldn't be possible but just a thought.

I don't think fingerprinting is an inexpensive endeavor. And even if there were fingerprints I don't think it would matter. If I sign Babe Ruth, and my prints are on the ball, and Coach's Jackwads give it an LOA, it is only their opinion. The scum needs to be caught red handed and it is difficult. Plus, you know how many Federal Investigators jump at opportunities like this? The answer is close to 0. Except for our few Agents investigating the hobby, who have done a great job so far, there are few takers for these kinds of cases. It is a sad reality. These things are important to us but then ISIS makes the news with another beheading.

[earlywynnfan]

what about the times they had sigs on money that was dated years and decades after the athlete died?

[drcy]

Several years ago there was a US currency bill 'signed' by a player and the Treasurer's name on the bill proved that the signatures had to be fake. The player died before the Treasurer had the position and, thus, before the bill was made. This was pointed out to them and they still let auction continue. That was as cut and dry an instance as one could get. And I assume that situation is detailed somewhere on this board's archives, as it was discussed at the time the auction was live.