Punishments for game used fraud

[Eric]

Someone mentioned North Shore Sports in another thread. I wasn't in the hobby when they were doing auctions, so I'm not really sure what happened with them.

I found an article which talked about Steve Ryan (real name Steve Levine) being charged with fraud.

Does anyone know how he was caught? Are there any other examples of high profile people who were busted for bogus game used items?

Here's the article I found...

http://beckett.com/news/index2.asp?a=496

Former dealer faces up to eight years imprisonment
3/23/2000 10:00:45 AM

Steve Ryan, formerly the proprietor of North Shore Sports in Northbrook, Ill., entered a guilty plea today at the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division. In doing so, Ryan acknowledged that he defrauded collectors of autographed and game-worn sports memorabilia and that he filed a false income tax return for the 1994 tax year. On October 26, 1999, the FBI submitted an affidavit to obtain an arrest warrant for Ryan, whose real name is Steve Levine. He was targeted for violations of mail and wire fraud laws related to the distribution of fraudulent sports memorabilia. According to court documents, Ryan, along with other sports memorabilia dealers, started selling fraudulently autographed sports memorabilia "in or about 1994 continuing until on or about October 26, 1999." Ryan also advertised for "game worn" or "game used" jerseys and other items such as shoes. These items were never worn or used by the athletes who purportedly wore them. But Ryan knowingly sold these items in large quantities. Ryan also would alter these items to make them appear as though they had been worn. Given the counts to which Ryan has pled guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of eight years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

[www.jerseydave.com]

Eric,

I believe if I remember correctly he was busted by Michael Jordan and his agent. I believe he was holding auctions with signed and/or game used MJ items in it and MJ through his agent contacted this guy and told him to stop selling these items as they were not real. He still went ahead and sold them anyways and then they turned him in.

I think he was also part of the Operation Bullpen through the FBI in the ring of the Marino Family.

[David]

It's interesting. With the recent Brett Favre autograph forgeries, Favre's agent went into the offending store and told the owner to quit selling the forgeries. The owner continued selling the forgeries, so the agent reported it to the police and the owner was arrested.

The moral of the story: When an athlete's agent tell you to quit selling forgeries, listen to him.

[Eric]

Look what Ryan was charged with. I think there are some people out there who should really be worried.


Dealer charged: A sports memorabilia dealer was charged with mail fraud in a federal investigation of the alleged selling of jerseys, shoes and other items containing the forged signatures of Michael Jordan and other former and current sports stars.
Steven Ryan, also known as Steven Levine, 41, is the 13th defendant to be charged in federal court in Chicago as part of the nationwide Operation Foul Ball investigation. The other 12 have been convicted.
Ryan, who lives in the Chicago suburb of Wheeling, was to appear in federal court today.
Authorities allege that Ryan auctioned items purported to be autographed by Jordan. Authorities said four pairs of shoes purportedly worn by Jordan in games and autographed by him weren't even the same size worn by the ex-Bulls superstar.
More Jordan: Nike Inc. and former Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan were sued by a maker of women's clothing who claims Nike and its Jordan products violate its longstanding trademarks.
In the suit filed in federal court in Chicago, Chattanoga Manufacturing Inc. claims the world's largest maker of athletic shoes and Jordan have infringed on its clothing line. Chattanoga has been manufacturing women's apparel under a Jordan trademark since 1980, the suit claims.

[jdr3]

In addition to the Jordan link, Levine was fingered by another person who was caught in Operation Bull Pen. I cannot find his name, but he said that under Levine's direction he washed a replica Jordan rookie jersey 4-5 times and they sold it as game used. Levine pled guilty to 1 count of mail fraud and 1 cound of failure to file federal income tax. I still have some of his catalogs and he almost taunts both Jordan and the FBI, who had warned him he was under investigaiton, in a description of supposed Jordan game shoes.

[reed1216]

HOLY CRAP!!! I remember North Shore Sports Auctions. They used to advertise heavily in SCD in the mid 1990s. I also recall talking with Steve Ryan on the telephone about some items and he seemed very nice and knowledgeable. Amazing!!!

[karamaxjoe]

I consigned with Ryan a couple times before his downfall and everything worked out fine. In his final auction I consigned an Eddie Murray Indians batting helmet and never saw anything for it. Ryan was busted the night of his final auction and most of the stuff was confiscated by the FBI. Ryan sent out consignment checks and they all bounced. I suspect my helmet is in some giant FBI evidence building or a bidder actuall has it. I tried like hell to get the helmet from the feds, but they had bigger fish to fry. I'm just thankful I didn't give Ryan the Eddie Murray jersey he asked me for.

If you stay in the hobby long enough, you'll win some and lose some. It's unavoidable.

Mike