Has anyone seen CC "autographs" for sale in other venues?

[keithsky]

Its so mind boggling that these crooks have been able to operate this auction site for 20 plus years and absolutely nothing has been done to stop them. Even Operation Bullpen back in the late 90's didn't shut these scumbags down. Ever collector knows these guys are selling fake stuff and has been posted on sites
like these and the uneducated collector buys it and thinks they good a good deal on a piece of garbage. To me it's all about how there fake certs are worded that gets them around being held responsible and the same with all the authenticators with the wording like "In Our Opinion" or words to that effect. I know this has been repeated many times on here about CC and guys trying to get the FBI involved but it's like beating a dead horse and they either don't think it's worth the time or for what ever reason CC continues to rip customers off. I always see the Feds busting other crooks on selling fake stuff on Sports Collectors Daily website and some of the bigger ones like Mastro and his buddies but CC goes on and on. Can't figure it out. Even though the crap stuff doesn't sell for much in there auctions it's still enough for the 2 guys running the show to make a living cause they continue to be around and not sitting in jail.

[btcarfagno]

I spoke with a dealer at a small local mall show in Eastern PA about a year ago. He had gone to a few "live" auctions at roaches corner (I guess that was a thing at one point). He had gotten to know one of them pretty well and he started to ask them about some of the autographs. He said the guy at roaches would tell him which lots to stay away from.

Disgusting.

Tom C

[GrayGhost]

That is enough to get someone nailed. He is admitting fakes are in the auction

[Duluth Eskimo]

No, that is hearsay. People on this board need to get a clue about what is needed to charge and convict someone of a crime like this. It gets tiring when people continue to bang the drum, but dont understand proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Trust me, there is no other person out there more of a hanging judge than me but I understand what it takes. Because we say so is not what it takes.

With that being said, I admit I find it very difficult to understand why CC is still in business with many other forgery cases out there. I have to believe the district where CC is located has zero interest in pursuing.

[mighty bombjack]

Originally Posted by Duluth Eskimo

No, that is hearsay. People on this board need to get a clue about what is needed to charge and convict someone of a crime like this. It gets tiring when people continue to bang the drum, but dont understand proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Trust me, there is no other person out there more of a hanging judge than me but I understand what it takes. Because we say so is not what it takes.

Very true. I think this is directly connected to the notion that an autograph "is either authentic, or it's not," a phrase I've seen here often. Sure, the statement is true, but it's also irrelevant because authenticity is impossible to prove. In previous threads about CC, posters here have drawn comparisons to narcotics and things like that, but it's pretty easy to prove that a substance like cocaine is in fact the substance it is being called. And that is just the item itself, before we get into intent and all that. There is little plausible deniability for someone holding a kilo of heroin in their trunk. But eBay (and CC) can have forgeries on their website, and it ain't their fault because how can they or anyone else know? Whose opinions should the law trust?

My brother is a former DA, and in talking to him I can see why nobody wants to go after these guys. And as a side note, I think that CC learned a lot from Operation Bullpen and the mistakes that those crooks made.

[D. Bergin]

Man, all kinds of conspiracy theories come into my head in regards to "Coach's Corner".

#1. It's a money laundering business. Who's going to report you to the cops when all of your customers are in cahoots with you?

#2. They're informants. Government gives them free reign as long as they give up one of their conspirators/consignors every once in awhile.

It is kind of odd, according to that article with Epperson and the charities, that they have been banned from Ebay, they have an "F" from the BBB, but there is no evidence of a single government inquiry into their business.

[RichardSimon]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

Man, all kinds of conspiracy theories come into my head in regards to "Coach's Corner".

#1. It's a money laundering business. Who's going to report you to the cops when all of your customers are in cahoots with you?

#2. They're informants. Government gives them free reign as long as they give up one of their conspirators/consignors every once in awhile.

It is kind of odd, according to that article with Epperson and the charities, that they have been banned from Ebay, they have an "F" from the BBB, but there is no evidence of a single government inquiry into their business.

Answers:
1- certainly a possibility.
2- certainly a possibility but to the best of my knowledge, gleaned from TV and movies , don't these guys usually trade up when informing?

There has been a government inquiry into CC. It started with a Federal attorney in their area and then to the US Postal Service. The attorney had prosecuted another case in forged autographs. He was contacted and through the efforts of another 54 member a great deal of evidence was turned over to the Postal Authorities. For unknown reasons the investigation ended without any prosecution.

[mighty bombjack]

Originally Posted by btcarfagno

He said the guy at roaches would tell him which lots to stay away from.

All of them?