The Next Operation Bullpen Has Started
 

Lot of rumblings out there today of several million fake signed items, fake panini stickers, etc. One of the head guys killed himself, not sure if there are a thread.

[url]https://x.com/darrenrovell/status/1945646495606169996?s=46[/url]

[url]https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1AtfzNHZn2/?mibextid=wwXIfr[/url]

If true, you'd think big-name athletes like Patrick Mahomes would have done something about it at some point -- try and track down who was selling fake autographs of theirs.

For it to have gone on for so long and be so lucrative is kind of mind boggling.

Just posted in Off-Topic. HUGE news.

Pretty sure it was the main guy who shot himself, although not confirmed.

From the article

"“It was an addiction". “How many items can I sell and give a front of a huge company. I did it for years. Purchased millions of dollars of legit items. Mixed it until [name withheld] found the hologram connect. Then I had the bank roll to buy even more. Do more signings. Every one item from a signing turned into 10,000. And it was certified. [B][COLOR="Red"]95% of the [Patrick] Mahomes and Aaron [Judge] on the market are sold by me. Basically every autograph sold in the last 25 years you should have it looked at. It’s fake and someone sold it to you other than me. [/COLOR][/B]
I wish I had the exact dollar number of money taken in from this and I’ll go to my grave never knowing. I kept this secret from everyone."

More details -

[url]https://sportscollectorsdigest.com/breaking-news-sports-memorabilia-dealer-raided-admits-scamming-collectors-hobby-in-350m-fraud-and-forgery-scheme[/url]

this is scary stuff for collectors. but some of what that guy says just seems off. don't know what to believe. $500 million worth of inventory?

You love to see it!

Good thing most of my collection is non-auto LOL

This is going to have some long downstream legs. Will most people care, we shall see. We all know the hobby is hot potato. As long as the item has a certification and sold to the next guy, all good. I don't know how you figure out good from bad if what he says is true. Somebody will pick up his process and restart again. What a mess for autograph memorabilia collectors.

Every auto I have is Topps or in person.

[QUOTE=dodgerfanjohn;19963542]Every auto I have is Topps or in person.[/QUOTE]

No Upper Deck or Poopini? Fleer? Donruss?

[QUOTE=Scottish Punk;19963539]This is going to have some long downstream legs. Will most people care, we shall see. We all know the hobby is hot potato. As long as the item has a certification and sold to the next guy, all good. I don't know how you figure out good from bad if what he says is true. Somebody will pick up his process and restart again. What a mess for autograph memorabilia collectors.[/QUOTE]

Probably true. This so-called "hobby" sure attracts a fickle bunch. People cared for about a day or two after the CT Scan news broke. That should have been the hobby news story of the century, and killed the after-market sealed wax industry but nah, clectors went back to buying sealed boxes from third-party sellers like it was no thang.

1. Hopefully whatever jackwagon was/is running their eBay account is who was found by police. Good riddance if so.

2. Unless this runs really really deep, I don’t see how it even comes close in magnitude to some of the other long-time fake autographed memorabilia/card scams out there. Looking at you New York/New Jersey/Hollywood, FL/Ft Lauderdale, FL scammers.

What, fake stuff in this hobby? Hard to believe

What is he insinuating with Panini?

Did he sell them sticker autos that they eventually used for cards?

[QUOTE=bustsomewax;19963575]What is he insinuating with Panini?

Did he sell them sticker autos that they eventually used for cards?[/QUOTE]

There’s a lot of Kobe autographed memorabilia out there with fake Panini certs. Probably has to do with that.

Shaq cards from say ‘17/‘18 and on could come in to play too.

feel bad for the auto collectors

yeah fake stuff in the hobby not earth shattering news really. What I want to know is how much of this fake stuff was graded by PSA. If they were in on it or at the very least negligent enough to have not done their job and noticed the gates to the kingdom are gonna come crashing down. If I'm Fanatics or any of the other grading companies I'm sitting back watching this situation with a bag of popcorn and salivating.

No surprise.

I would venture to say that there is easily way more forged memorabilia than legitimate.

Ebay is flooded with forgeries.

Someone made a comment in the Mahomes thread. All these in person rookie auto that have popped up lately. Make you think


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In the end, it's all just useless crap anyway...

[QUOTE=PuddleMonkey;19963490]You love to see it![/QUOTE]

What the f*ck is wrong with you dude?

No surprise.

People will do anything to make money.

Personally, I believe that you have to collect like what you bought is already worth zero the minute you buy it.

[QUOTE=3124508 on COMC;19963571]1. Hopefully whatever jackwagon was/is running their eBay account is who was found by police. Good riddance if so.

2. Unless this runs really really deep, I don’t see how it even comes close in magnitude to some of the other long-time fake autographed memorabilia/card scams out there. Looking at you New York/New Jersey/Hollywood,[B] FL/Ft Lauderdale, FL scammers.[/B][/QUOTE]

The X Post states a deep Florida connection.

I'm trying to understand what this means (excerpt from offender's admission)

[img]https://i.imgur.com/29TyaX9l.jpg[/img]

1. Real cards with fake stickers sold as "Buyback" Cards? - We've seen it
2. Counterfeit cards with Fake stickers? - Some have been caught by BODA, the Steph Curry stands out
3. Panini used them as a source? - This wouldn't make sense as I assumed the cards went directly to the player or agent. Uless they somehow convinced Panini that they were the "Agent" or Company to get the athletes in a room and cards signed.

[QUOTE=Archangel1775;19963691]I'm trying to understand what this means

[img]https://i.imgur.com/29TyaX9l.jpg[/img]

1. Real cards with fake stickers sold as "Buyback" Cards? - We've seen it
2. Counterfeit cards with Fake stickers? - Some have been caught by BODA, the Steph Curry stands out
3. Panini used them as a source? - This wouldn't make sense as I assumed the cards went directly to the player or agent. Uless they somehow convinced Panini that they were the "Agent" or Company to get the atheltes in a room and cards signed.[/QUOTE]


I think it’s the second. From what I understand panini does send to directly to the player/agent. Same with Topps


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here is the website with the supposed fake items. all saying steiner/fanatics/jsa witness COA

[url]https://mistermancave.com/[/url]

Next they'll be saying that the "Game Worn" jersey swatches were just cutouts from jerseys picked up at Bob stores.

Where there is money, there is corruption. And it's never been worse in the hobby since 2020-present. Grading, autographs, trimming, auto pens, "prepping cards for grading", bots, paying distributors for first shot at retail wax, and especially breakers. The hobby has become a den of degenerate gamblers and cheats. This should surprise no one.

[QUOTE=jstephens24;19963696]here is the website with the supposed fake items. all saying steiner/fanatics/jsa witness COA

[url]https://mistermancave.com/[/url][/QUOTE]


Seems like it’s all memorabilia


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[QUOTE=Jeter1020;19963698]Seems like it’s all memorabilia


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]

The site is but his admission wasn't.

FB Account down
IG Account down
Amazon Store down
eBay Store - Still Up & Running.

[QUOTE=dodgerfanjohn;19963542]Every auto I have is Topps or in person.[/QUOTE]

With respect to topps we're all just taking their word that its legit. Phil Hughes made a video of what topps sends. There's nobody actually watching them sign, they just attest that they did.

“95% of the [Patrick] Mahomes and Aaron [Judge] on the market are sold by me. Basically every autograph sold in the last 25 years you should have it looked at. It’s fake and someone sold it to you other than me.“


95%? This is crazy if he is not just exaggerating.

[QUOTE=r338;19963733]“95% of the [Patrick] Mahomes and Aaron [Judge] on the market are sold by me. Basically every autograph sold in the last 25 years you should have it looked at. It’s fake and someone sold it to you other than me.“


95%? This is crazy if he is not just exaggerating.[/QUOTE]

Even if he's talking about autographed memorabilia (i.e. not cards), it's still an insane claim.

How does the raid find a dead body? I am a little confused by this.

Did this guy know ahead of time he was going to be raided, so he offed himself?

Would you make that confession post unless you knew you were going to be raided?

I don't think the FBI places courtesy calls ahead of raids.

Everything I have is pack pulled. Do I need to worry?

[QUOTE=Jeter1020;19963695]I think it’s the second. From what I understand panini does send to directly to the player/agent. Same with Topps


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]

We can confirm Panini sending directly to players, as Jackson Merrill trashed a bunch of cards/stickers he was supposed to sign before moving out of his spring training housing, as we all know now. Lol

Never trust the Chinese hologram ladies

[QUOTE=oldgoldy97;19963740]Everything I have is pack pulled. Do I need to worry?[/QUOTE]

Almost certainly not. Unless it's a Messi pack-pulled auto. Lol

My theory: he admits his crimes on FB, then the raid happens, so he lights out as they break down his door.

But I’ve seen too many movies so

Looking at the eBay store linked from the mistermancave.com website, and looking at recent sales. I had no idea an Aaron Judge autographed baseball goes for $450 at auction!

[url]https://ebay.us/m/oZ2zCX[/url]

This one was JSA authenticated, and you can look it up in the JSA database. So does that mean his forged autos were passing authentication at places like JSA, possibly at large scale? What a mess…

[QUOTE=BoSoxFan1999;19963745]Almost certainly not. Unless it's a Messi pack-pulled auto. Lol[/QUOTE]


Why not pack pulled stuff?


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[QUOTE=BoSoxFan1999;19963741]We can confirm Panini sending directly to players, as Jackson Merrill trashed a bunch of cards/stickers he was supposed to sign before moving out of his spring training housing, as we all know now. Lol[/QUOTE]


Wait really? lol


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I have heard multiple accounts of dealers having an athlete signing about 10-20 items, then submitting thousands more fake items, and authenticators simply batch approve the items without personally assessing each one individually.

Humans are inherently lazy and the authentication process seems easily prone to shortcuts.

[QUOTE=qdoggmets;19963739]How does the raid find a dead body? I am a little confused by this.

Did this guy know ahead of time he was going to be raided, so he offed himself?

Would you make that confession post unless you knew you were going to be raided?

I don't think the FBI places courtesy calls ahead of raids.[/QUOTE]

Probability wise, it seems pretty common to [blank] themselves in the heat of the moment like that, when they would be kicking in the doors or even knocking since this isn't a real serious crime in the grand scheme of things. Not sure they'd ram the door down, but either way...seems like a normal time to do that if someone would no?

Seems like people do it when there's no way out and no path to take. He was going to jail for this for a long time, no idea who he is, his age, etc. But he was going to federal prison and he decided to do that. Then they found a body. Doesn't seem outrageous to me, but it does seem very dramatic in the literal sense. Netflix will make a documentary within a year.

[QUOTE=wallawalla;19963753]Looking at the eBay store linked from the mistermancave.com website, and looking at recent sales. I had no idea an Aaron Judge autographed baseball goes for $450 at auction!

[url]https://ebay.us/m/oZ2zCX[/url]

This one was JSA authenticated, and you can look it up in the JSA database. So does that mean his forged autos were passing authentication at places like JSA, possibly at large scale? What a mess…[/QUOTE]

Yes, this type of thing has been happening for decades.

[QUOTE=oldgoldy97;19963740]Everything I have is pack pulled. Do I need to worry?[/QUOTE]

From everything I've gathered about this it's predominantly memorabilia. So no, other than the fact pack-issued autos are not actually witnessed in the first place.

[QUOTE]This one was JSA authenticated, and you can look it up in the JSA database. So does that mean his forged autos were passing authentication at places like JSA, possibly at large scale? What a mess…[/QUOTE]

And I thought JSA was the most trustworthy for autos in general, yikes.

This could absolutely crash the entire market.

[QUOTE=solt0131;19963764]This could absolutely crash the entire market.[/QUOTE]

Do people still collect unwitnessed autographed memorabilia?

[QUOTE=Jeter1020;19963756]Wait really? lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]

[url]https://www.reddit.com/r/baseballcards/comments/16viylj/i_found_this_in_a_trash_compactor/?share_id=uXzbbmGztdMH6mSz9fKC-&utm_content=2&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1[/url]

[QUOTE=wallawalla;19963753]Looking at the eBay store linked from the mistermancave.com website, and looking at recent sales. I had no idea an Aaron Judge autographed baseball goes for $450 at auction!

[url]https://ebay.us/m/oZ2zCX[/url]

This one was JSA authenticated, and you can look it up in the JSA database. So does that mean his forged autos were passing authentication at places like JSA, possibly at large scale? What a mess…[/QUOTE]

If they were forging the stickers, then you just need to make numbers that match a legitimate item in the database. If you look up a signed Judge ball, there's no way of knowing whether or not there are 5000 other balls out there with the same number on the sticker.

[QUOTE=solt0131;19963764]This could absolutely crash the entire market.[/QUOTE]

I don't think so. People have the memory of goldfish, give this a week and no one will care at all. Also not card related mostly, so you, me, and everyone else can rationalize or correctly conclude that our card autos are real*

*90-99% odds

[QUOTE=BoSoxFan1999;19963773][url]https://www.reddit.com/r/baseballcards/comments/16viylj/i_found_this_in_a_trash_compactor/?share_id=uXzbbmGztdMH6mSz9fKC-&utm_content=2&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1[/url][/QUOTE]

That was a wild one.

[QUOTE=hammertime;19963776]If they were forging the stickers, then you just need to make numbers that match a legitimate item in the database. If you look up a signed Judge ball, there's no way of knowing whether or not there are 5000 other balls out there with the same number on the sticker.[/QUOTE]

I've never been on the JSA database. But I'd assume like PSA's there is a picture of the item obviously right?

So if that were the case, one person who was diligent or critical enough could have spotted a discrepancy in their certified #'d baseball v.s. the one depicted. Hilarious that no one did.

[QUOTE=BoSoxFan1999;19963773][url]https://www.reddit.com/r/baseballcards/comments/16viylj/i_found_this_in_a_trash_compactor/?share_id=uXzbbmGztdMH6mSz9fKC-&utm_content=2&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1[/url][/QUOTE]


That’s wild. Was there ever a resolution to this?


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[QUOTE=qdoggmets;19963739]How does the raid find a dead body? I am a little confused by this.

Did this guy know ahead of time he was going to be raided, so he offed himself?

Would you make that confession post unless you knew you were going to be raided?

I don't think the FBI places courtesy calls ahead of raids.[/QUOTE]I believe the FBI had a search warrant at a different address the day before. Then the search warrant location was extended to his address where they found him. I'm sure he heard about the 1st raid and knew it was just a matter of time.

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Is there really that much of a barrier to entry for using auto pens? Feels like this will keep happening.

[QUOTE=Jeter1020;19963781]That’s wild. Was there ever a resolution to this?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]

The guy that found the Merrill stash reached out to Panini and ended up returning all of it to them for an undisclosed "finder's fee".

Honestly the best case resolution because imagine if those sticker sheets got out in the wild?? 2,000 new Ohtani/Kobe/Judge stickers!

[QUOTE=BoSoxFan1999;19963793]The guy that found the Merrill stash reached out to Panini and ended up returning all of it to them for an undisclosed "finder's fee".

Honestly the best case resolution because imagine if those sticker sheets got out in the wild?? 2,000 new Ohtani/Kobe/Judge stickers![/QUOTE]


Crazy story regardless. Definitely did the right thing by giving them back


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Guess it's time for athletes to come in with their own hologram and only sell on their site.

The same rule has held true through the history of mankind - if you didn’t witness the athlete signing your item in person yourself, you may not have the real thing.

Even if you know it’s real, you will never be able to prove to someone else it is real.

The ultimate lesson - obtain autographs for your own personal gratification.

The whole industry is a sham. What people consider to have value is dumb. Every card, bat, ball, jersey, etc will eventually end up in the ground. This hobby is one big "hot potato" game. You just hope you're not the last guy holding.

Humans are dumb creatures, just look at Pokemon.

I'll admit, I've done dumb things in this hobby. I've gotten older and realized it's fools gold.

[QUOTE=SaveMeTheGum;19963697]Next they'll be saying that the "Game Worn" jersey swatches were just cutouts from jerseys picked up at Bob stores.

Where there is money, there is corruption. And it's never been worse in the hobby since 2020-present. Grading, autographs, trimming, auto pens, "prepping cards for grading", bots, paying distributors for first shot at retail wax, and especially breakers. The hobby has become a den of degenerate gamblers and cheats. This should surprise no one.[/QUOTE]

The athlete just wore it to sign a few cards.

[QUOTE=Rooftop;19963861]The whole industry is a sham. What people consider to have value is dumb. Every card, bat, ball, jersey, etc will eventually end up in the ground. This hobby is one big "hot potato" game. You just hope you're not the last guy holding.

Humans are dumb creatures, just look at Pokemon.

I'll admit, I've done dumb things in this hobby. I've gotten older and realized it's fools gold.[/QUOTE]

Life is, really.

[QUOTE=ThoseBackPages;19963593]feel bad for the auto collectors[/QUOTE]We are still holding the line!

[IMG]https://www.blowoutcards.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/0Ie8QR5e2MmPzHiAP.jpg[/IMG]

Just wait for real info.

[QUOTE=JRX;19963789]Is there really that much of a barrier to entry for using auto pens? Feels like this will keep happening.[/QUOTE]

100%

I can't see how autopens wouldn't constantly fool PSA for after-market autos on cards.

[QUOTE=ThoseBackPages;19963864]Life is, really.[/QUOTE]

We are all living in the matrix.

[QUOTE=Tea10;19963777]I don't think so. People have the memory of goldfish, give this a week and no one will care at all. Also not card related mostly, so you, me, and everyone else can rationalize or correctly conclude that our card autos are real*

*90-99% odds[/QUOTE]

Agree. What percent of people buying framed signed Brady jerseys REALLY care if it's authentic or not? It looks good on the wall and impresses the neighbors either way.

[QUOTE=Rooftop;19963861]The whole industry is a sham. What people consider to have value is dumb. Every card, bat, ball, jersey, etc will eventually end up in the ground. This hobby is one big "hot potato" game. You just hope you're not the last guy holding.

Humans are dumb creatures, just look at Pokemon.

I'll admit, I've done dumb things in this hobby. I've gotten older and realized it's fools gold.[/QUOTE]

I agree with you on some level, but this is a negative and reductionist take. I don't care that it's negative either personally, but I'd argue it's somewhat wrong.

You're absolutely right that people value things arbitrarily. Why is a Brady Kaboom or a [I]Michael Penix Jr??? Kaboom[/I] going for 75k and 9k+ respectively on Fanatics Premiere right now? Assuming these aren't fake sales, a 2018 Brady and a Penix rookie (PSA 8) are going to likely clear 100k and 20k easily. It is absolutely a joke when you think about it.

But you ironically mention fool's gold. Right, well what about real gold? There's your answer. Real gold has no intrinsic value either. It's shiny. It's worse than many other metals (silver, platinum, copper) for conductivity and industrial usage. But it's worth 3.2k+ an ounce right now. That's human nature. So I agree with you there, a lot of this "hobby" is just flexing and buying status symbol pieces. With the covid-boom there was actually appreciation, massively, and it's seen as investment grade. Pokemon is that more so now.

Where I disagree is the reductionist part, the nihilistic part. Nothing matters? Okay, yeah then nothing matters. You can say a card or baseball will end up in the ground, but the Sun is also going to run out of fuel and burn out and disappear eventually too. It's overly negative. Enjoy life a bit maybe, I don't know.

But I agree, seeing a Caitlin Clark fake patch semi-RC going for 180k right now is just sickening, she's already hurt multiple times, she might not even last 5 years in that league and it's the WNBA no one cared about prior. That's just comical. I agree there.

[QUOTE=Tea10;19963891]Enjoy life a bit maybe, I don't know. [/QUOTE]

This too. Gotta do something to pass the time on this planet.

[QUOTE=Bowman1951;19963869]We are still holding the line![/QUOTE]

GOOD!

[QUOTE=Rooftop;19963861]The whole industry is a sham. What people consider to have value is dumb. Every card, bat, ball, jersey, etc will eventually end up in the ground. This hobby is one big "hot potato" game. You just hope you're not the last guy holding.

Humans are dumb creatures, just look at Pokemon.

I'll admit, I've done dumb things in this hobby. I've gotten older and realized it's fools gold.[/QUOTE]

To be more succinct:

This used to be a "hobby" that my dad and your dads did for fun. Then we did. To collect cards and they liked sports. But now it's in the same vein of luxury clothing, where the ultra-rich can go buy that Caitlin Clark "not from any event" Patch auto for 500k and the Champ Ticket Brady because their dad is worth 500 million and it won't even make a dent. While all the normal people and poor people are so dumb that they chase that and invest 50% of their total net worth into cards.

Not to be negative here, but I think that's pretty accurate. I still enjoy collecting PC, that's all I care about.

[QUOTE=hammertime;19963894]This too. Gotta do something to pass the time on this planet.[/QUOTE]

Yeah I'm pretty happy. I got a few autos, I think they are real. But I have a logical reason as to why I think that. We'll see how this scandal unfolds but I think it's mostly memo stuff anyway, card collectors won't care.

[QUOTE=solt0131;19963764]This could absolutely crash the entire market.[/QUOTE]

No one cared that some of the highest priced cards in the hobby (and realistically most cards now) had been trimmed/altered and then graded Gem by PSA and BGS. No one will care about this.

[QUOTE=Rooftop;19963861]The whole industry is a sham. What people consider to have value is dumb. Every card, bat, ball, jersey, etc will eventually end up in the ground. This hobby is one big "hot potato" game. You just hope you're not the last guy holding.

Humans are dumb creatures, just look at Pokemon.

[B]I'll admit, I've done dumb things in this hobby.[/B] I've gotten older and realized it's fools gold.[/QUOTE]

If it makes you feel better, you're still doing dumb things in this hobby.