Memory Lane sold cards they didn't have per SCD

[parkplace33]

Glad to hear this story has a happy ending.

I guess we will find this perp got a hold of the package.

[Exhibitman]

Thankfully, those landmark cards are not lost to the hobby; that would have been a shame.

[jimtodd]

It figures ML silence had to be related to the investigation - happy they're able to make (nearly) everyone whole again.

Not a bad day for law enforcement in the hobby. This recovery, and the Anthony Curcio fake PSA slab arrest (https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.co...ver-2-million/).

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by jimtodd

It figures ML silence had to be related to the investigation - happy they're able to make (nearly) everyone whole again.

Not a bad day for law enforcement in the hobby. This recovery, and the Anthony Curcio fake PSA slab arrest (https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.co...ver-2-million/).

That's an awesome story, glad to see federal law enforcement focused on protecting the little guy.

[Peter_Spaeth]

o further their alleged fraud scheme, Curcio ordered several items necessary to create forged card cases and labels to pass off the cards as graded, court documents allege.

They included plastic holders, thermal transfer barcode labels, a magnifier loupe optical glass, a handheld inkjet printer, a lock-cutting kit, an electric grinding pen, an abrasive buffer and polishing wheel, an abrasive and bristle brushes and drill bits designed for engraving, prosecutors said.

“Anthony Curcio and Iosif Bondarchuk carried out a brazen, nationwide fraud scheme involving valuable sports and Pokémon trading cards to deceive buyers and marketplaces, ultimately amassing over $2 million in fraudulent and attempted sales,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. “Curcio and Bondarchuk allegedly sold and tried to sell at inflated prices cards of various professional athletes, including, among others, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Nolan Ryan, Larry Bird, Julius Erving, and Magic Johnson, as well as various valuable Pokémon cards.

Hmmmm.. I bet it's a lot more than $2 million if it went on for years.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

o further their alleged fraud scheme, Curcio ordered several items necessary to create forged card cases and labels to pass off the cards as graded, court documents allege.

They included plastic holders, thermal transfer barcode labels, a magnifier loupe optical glass, a handheld inkjet printer, a lock-cutting kit, an electric grinding pen, an abrasive buffer and polishing wheel, an abrasive and bristle brushes and drill bits designed for engraving, prosecutors said.

“Anthony Curcio and Iosif Bondarchuk carried out a brazen, nationwide fraud scheme involving valuable sports and Pokémon trading cards to deceive buyers and marketplaces, ultimately amassing over $2 million in fraudulent and attempted sales,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. “Curcio and Bondarchuk allegedly sold and tried to sell at inflated prices cards of various professional athletes, including, among others, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Nolan Ryan, Larry Bird, Julius Erving, and Magic Johnson, as well as various valuable Pokémon cards.

Hmmmm.. I bet it's a lot more than $2 million if it went on for years.

In a perhaps ironic twist, this isn't Curcio's first runin with the law either.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Curcio

[brunswickreeves]

Originally Posted by Snowman

In a perhaps ironic twist, this isn't Curcio's first runin with the law either.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Curcio

Summarized life of crime story, if the same person:

1. Gambling business gets shut down by local authorities for no permitting
2. Next forges prescription labels (apparently practice for PSA flips)
3. Then Burn Notice-style robs armored truck security guard of $400K in BoA cash (spends 6 years in prison where he pens 20 kids books and a multi-award winning memoir on his addiction and robbery) then makes a business out of inspirational speaking akin to ‘Catch me if you can’
4. Now expands career (age 43) to a $2MM+ sports/Pokemon card PSA holder manipulation scheme

Prediction for his next book: ‘It’s a Hard Knock Life, Steal From Others to Ease the Strife’

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

o further their alleged fraud scheme, Curcio ordered several items necessary to create forged card cases and labels to pass off the cards as graded, court documents allege.

They included plastic holders, thermal transfer barcode labels, a magnifier loupe optical glass, a handheld inkjet printer, a lock-cutting kit, an electric grinding pen, an abrasive buffer and polishing wheel, an abrasive and bristle brushes and drill bits designed for engraving, prosecutors said.

“Anthony Curcio and Iosif Bondarchuk carried out a brazen, nationwide fraud scheme involving valuable sports and Pokémon trading cards to deceive buyers and marketplaces, ultimately amassing over $2 million in fraudulent and attempted sales,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. “Curcio and Bondarchuk allegedly sold and tried to sell at inflated prices cards of various professional athletes, including, among others, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Nolan Ryan, Larry Bird, Julius Erving, and Magic Johnson, as well as various valuable Pokémon cards.

Hmmmm.. I bet it's a lot more than $2 million if it went on for years.

The thing that stood out in the story to me, was this one sentence: PSA says its Brand Protection division worked with the FBI during the investigation. The focus there has never been about the end user but always about the impact on the brand and doing whatever possible to protect it. They keep details of crimes like this very quiet even after arrests have been made. People cheer someone is going to jail meanwhile, in this case, it is not clear if all of the fake holdered cards were confiscated.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

The thing that stood out in the story to me, was this one sentence: PSA says its Brand Protection division worked with the FBI during the investigation. The focus there has never been about the end user but always about the impact on the brand and doing whatever possible to protect it. They keep details of crimes like this very quiet even after arrests have been made. People cheer someone is going to jail meanwhile, in this case, it is not clear if all of the fake holdered cards were confiscated.

My guess is they've been widely sold into the marketplace by now, and if WIWAG and Copperfield (Mexican fakes) are any indication, the public will never know which cards are involved.

[KingFisk]

Is this the same guy who robbed a Brinks truck about 15 years ago? Same name but allegedly had cleaned up his act. However same age, same state as this fellow.

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

o further their alleged fraud scheme, Curcio ordered several items necessary to create forged card cases and labels to pass off the cards as graded, court documents allege.

They included plastic holders, thermal transfer barcode labels, a magnifier loupe optical glass, a handheld inkjet printer, a lock-cutting kit, an electric grinding pen, an abrasive buffer and polishing wheel, an abrasive and bristle brushes and drill bits designed for engraving, prosecutors said.

“Anthony Curcio and Iosif Bondarchuk carried out a brazen, nationwide fraud scheme involving valuable sports and Pokémon trading cards to deceive buyers and marketplaces, ultimately amassing over $2 million in fraudulent and attempted sales,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. “Curcio and Bondarchuk allegedly sold and tried to sell at inflated prices cards of various professional athletes, including, among others, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Nolan Ryan, Larry Bird, Julius Erving, and Magic Johnson, as well as various valuable Pokémon cards.

Hmmmm.. I bet it's a lot more than $2 million if it went on for years.

[Carter08]

Originally Posted by KingFisk

Is this the same guy who robbed a Brinks truck about 15 years ago? Same name but allegedly had cleaned up his act. However same age, same state as this fellow.

I think so. Made a side living giving inspirational speeches about learning from mistakes.