Certainly Didn’t Expect to See that at the National.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by perezfan

This.

They made an example of Mastro and his gang, because they were "King of the Hill" at the time (and deserved what they got). But for some reason they continue to turn a blind eye to those who are even more blatantly corrupt (and are currently thriving).

Trimming, altering, shilling and lying should be punishable crimes, regardless of your selling platform or who you are.

Honestly, if I were a federal agent or prosecutor, and I saw how little impact on behavior all the revelations over the last couple of years have had, and how the collecting/investing world just wants more and more of the same, I might question if going after card doctors and their enablers was really the most productive use of my time and resources. Particularly where the rules of evidence would make most of these tougher cases to prove in court than it might appear on a chatboard.

[earlywynnfan]

Going back to the Feds hauling people out of the National, a couple years ago in Cleveland they hauled away Tony Podsada. Anyone know what happened to him?

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

Going back to the Feds hauling people out of the National, a couple years ago in Cleveland they hauled away Tony Podsada. Anyone know what happened to him?

As best I can tell he was indicted by a grand jury a while ago but I don't see anything beyond that.

[oldjudge]

In the late 1990s I turned down buying a full M101-4 set in Ex-Mt or better condition for $10k. That was the market then. Why no talk about all the shill bidders in the hobby who never were prosecuted.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Why no talk about all the shill bidders in the hobby who never were prosecuted.

Because what other people did has nothing to do with whether these two are crooks who should be (metaphorically) tarred, feathered and run out of the hobby on a rail rather than embraced. Just like "everyone else was speeding" is not a defense to your speeding ticket if you were speeding.

[oldjudge]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Because what other people did has nothing to do with whether these two are crooks who should be (metaphorically) tarred, feathered and run out of the hobby on a rail rather than embraced. Just like "everyone else was speeding" is not a defense to your speeding ticket if you were speeding.

Luckily, we have a criminal justice system which metes out punishment rather than a bunch of yahoos with a lynch mob mentality. Am I hearing that you don’t believe in the criminal justice system? Having said that you have a right to deal with whomever you choose. Just accept that others can also decide for themselves. I just find it interesting that people are getting agita because Mastro dared to enter the sacred grounds of the National but these same people have no trouble dealing with documented shill bidders who never were punished for their crimes.

[Peter_Spaeth]

I would not say a single word in defense of Mastro, but you could pick 20 people off the floor of the National who have done just as much or more damage to the hobby, that is if you consider altered cards a bad thing.

[jcmtiger]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Luckily, we have a criminal justice system which metes out punishment rather than a bunch of yahoos with a lynch mob mentality. Am I hearing that you don’t believe in the criminal justice system? Having said that you have a right to deal with whomever you choose. Just accept that others can also decide for themselves. I just find it interesting that people are getting agita because Mastro dared to enter the sacred grounds of the National but these same people have no trouble dealing with documented shill bidders who never were punished for their crimes.

+1, hanging is not enough for some.