Latest news with #sportsmemorabilia
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Autograph dealer identified as man found dead in Indiana raid of fake memorabilia
The Hamilton County Coroner's Office identified autograph dealer Brett Lemieux, 45, as the man found dead when police executed a search warrant into a scheme involving fake sports memorabilia in Westfield, Indiana. In a release Thursday, the coroner listed the cause and manner of death as pending, but in a statement Wednesday, Westfield police attributed "a self-inflicted gunshot wound" as the cause of death. A Facebook post attributed to Lemieux on the "Autographs 101" group sent shockwaves through the sports autograph industry Wednesday morning. In the post allegedly written by Lemieux, he detailed a huge counterfeiting business that sold more than four million items and surpassed $350 million in sales. The crux of the autograph forging operation was based in faking holograms of the largest companies in the hobby, including Panini, Fanatics, Tri-Star, James Spence Authentics, Mill Creek Sports, GT Sports Marketing and others. Lemieux's primary business was called Mister Mancave, which says on its website that it offers 'the largest framed jersey inventory on the web.' A Facebook page for Mister Mancave says the business is located in Columbus, Ohio, but no records of a physical store there exist. Mister Mancave has been incorporated twice in Indiana between 2018 and 2023. In the post attributed under his name, Lemieux said after Kobe Bryant died in January 2020, his company put out 80,000 fake items 'into the marketplace.' Sources told cllct Lemieux upset many companies that had official autograph deals with players because Lemieux's outlet would offer prices that were much lower and yet still featured holograms of authentication. An Aaron Judge ball, for example, would sell on Fanatics for $699. Lemieux's website at Mister Mancave would offer a Judge ball, with a Fanatics hologram, for $399. A Fanatics spokesperson said the company made big changes to its hologram two years ago after receiving information its former holograms had been copied. The new hologram has not been replicated since, the spokesperson said. Fanatics is currently working with two other partners to make additional changes that will make its stickers more counterfeit-proof. Sources say Fanatics has worked closely with law enforcement over the past few years, including the Lemieux case and the fake autograph ring in McKinney, Texas, that was unraveled earlier this year. Fanatics also employs former FBI employees to aid in its fraud prevention. Cllct contacted many of the companies whose holograms Lemieux said he faked. No others immediately returned messages seeking comment. Industry insiders told cllct they were surprised by Lemieux's post, which offered details of the alleged scheme. 'He's trying to burn the industry on the way out of the door,' one autograph dealer said. 'It's clear he feels spurned and is trying to impress people.' That source said he thought the numbers Lemieux boasted about seemed completely unrealistic. 'If he made and sold that much, the autograph industry would have been crushed,' the source said. RELATED STORIES: Dead body found during police raid on fake sports memorabilia in Indiana U.S. border agents seize $1.43 million worth of fake sports merchandise Charges dropped against two defendants in Jason Kelce autograph fraud Thousands of fake memorabilia items discovered in Texas probe Why so many Michael Jordan autographs are fake: A cllct investigation Another autograph entrepreneur, whose company does millions in annual sales called the $350 million number "impossible," adding he would be surprised if it were 10% of that. Longtime autograph authentication expert Steve Grad says no matter what the numbers, "this guy did years and years of damage." Grad said it's harder and harder to catch criminals because the autopen process is getting more and more nuanced. "This might have an effect on the industry in the short-term, but people have short memories, it will bounce back," he added. It wasn't like what Lemieux was doing was a secret, another industry insider said. 'He had tons of autographs from guys that didn't do a signing in years,' one autograph dealer said. Lemieux named names in his manifesto. He said Indiana autograph dealer Dominique Ball of Authentic Sports Collectibles "was the sole person who put out 100,000 Tom Brady items into the market" and that Nicklaus Litcher (sic) funneled the items Ball produced. A call placed to Ball was not returned. Nickolas Litscher, a chef in Wisconsin who has an autograph business on the side that most often manifests itself in offering prizes (razzes) on Facebook, told cllct he was shocked to see his name. "I said five sentences to Brett my whole life," Litscher said. "He makes me look like I was part of the whole thing. I never talked to him on the phone and don't even know what he looks like." Litscher said he is hiring a lawyer. Sources said Lemieux and his associates have taken on various names on many selling platforms, including Ultimate Sports, Athletes One, Signature Dog and All-American Authentics. Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct and one of the country's leading reporters on the collectibles market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network. Kevin Jackson is the chief content officer for cllct.
New York Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Allen Iverson isn't writing about practice: What athletes won't sign at The National
Inscriptions spice up your average autographs from athletes and celebrities, and often make those penned items more valuable. At shows like this year's National Sports Collectors Convention, autograph seekers are often willing to pay extra for those added messages. For example, Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor will add an 'LT was a Bad Mother F—er' inscription to go along with a signature from the New York Giants legend for an extra $105 during The National in Rosemont, Illinois next week. Some of the other notable inscriptions being offered include this selection from former Boston Red Sox great David Ortiz: Former NFL running back and 1998 Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams is willing to provide 'one (1) cannabis related inscription up to 3 words' for an extra $49 given his public affinity for marijuana. And with a purchase of an autograph from two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, you'll receive a free autograph from each of his brothers Alex, Kostas, and Thanasis, who will also be signing and posing for photos at the event. Advertisement Conversely, some athletes signing at The National, recognized as the year's biggest sports card and memorabilia show, refuse to inscribe certain phrases or sign specific items and have made it known ahead of time. Allen Iverson isn't signing about 'practice.' You'll also receive a 'Bo No' response if you're looking for a 'Bo Knows' autographed inscription from Bo Jackson. Let's take a glimpse at some of the notable restrictions from signers at the five-day event: Allen Iverson The NBA Hall of Famer and former Philadelphia 76ers legend, won't inscribe 'practice,' referring to his famous 2002 press conference rant. Bo Jackson Jackson's list extends much deeper than the no go for 'Bo Knows.' The 1985 Heisman Trophy winner and former MLB and NFL dual-sport star also won't pen 'Bo Don't Know Diddley' as an inscription, pointing back to his Nike ad campaign featuring Jackson and musician Bo Diddley. Jackson also won't sign the following items: artwork, bat on shoulder pads cards or photos (the result of a lawsuit that was settled between photographer Richard Noble and Nike), Tecmo Bowl items (the result of his more recent deal with EA Sports?), jersey numbers, stat jerseys, Heisman Trophies, Cam Newton or Pat Sullivan (fellow Auburn alums and Heisman winners) items, Tampa Bay items (Jackson was drafted No. 1 overall by Tampa in 1986 but refused to play for them), or his unauthorized biography. Todd Helton The former Colorado Rockies first baseman will not inscribe 'Toddfather' or 'Mr. Rockie.' That said, he will include on all items outside of trading cards a free 'HOF 24' inscription with each autograph. Although Helton leaned into the Toddfather nickname in the past, there doesn't appear to be any examples of him inscribing it on items he's signed over the years. Julius Erving Dr. J won't sign items referring to his on-court fight with Larry Bird during a 76ers-Celtics game in 1984. Erving also won't autograph unlicensed ABA red, white and blue basketballs, either. Roger Clemens The seven-time Cy Young Award winner has no issue inscribing 'The Rocket' — for a fee — on items. But Clemens will not sign items surrounding the Mike Piazza bat incident when the then-Yankees pitcher caught the barrel of a broken bat and threw it back at the then-Mets catcher in Game 2 of the 2000 World Series. Advertisement Albert Pujols Pujols will not sign any type of Hall of Fame items. This includes HOF logo items and/or items already signed only by Hall of Famers. Pujols, a no-brainer HOF selection, will be eligible for the HOF voting in 2028. (Tom Brady doesn't share Pujols' patience. He started inscribing 'HOF 2028' with his autographs back in February, as reported by Cllct.) Roberto Alomar The Hall of Fame second baseman won't autograph any items related to his spitting incident with umpire John Hirschbeck in 1996. Steve Garvey His 1982 Fleer trading card is the lone restricted item the Hall of Fame first baseman will not sign. The reasoning is a bit of legend floating around the internet where Garvey supposedly signed the card for a charity auction and vowed it would be the only time he'd ever sign that particular card. Robin Yount The Hall of Fame Milwaukee Brewers slugger will not inscribe nicknames 'Rockin Robin' or 'The Kid,' a nickname he received when he first hit the Majors as an 18 year old in 1974. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence in all our coverage. When you click or make purchases through our links, we may earn a commission.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Sports memorabilia dealer Brett Lemieux found dead just hours after bombshell counterfeit confession
A famed sports memorabilia merchant was discovered dead as police carried out a search warrant into his allegedly fraudulent dealings. Brett Lemieux, 45, is believed to have died just hours after a Facebook account posting under his name claimed the prominent sports memorabilia site he founded had sold millions of counterfeit items. Lemieux, who resided in Westfield, Indiana, shockingly claimed that MisterManCave had sold more than four million fake items and surpassed $350 million in sales in a in a bombshell confession to a Facebook group page named 'Autographs 101'. Hours after the post was published under Lemieux's name, police confirmed that he had died by suicide by way of a 'self-inflicted gunshot wound,' according to the New York Post. More to follow.
New York Times
5 days ago
- New York Times
Fanatics aided law enforcement in years-long investigation into sports memorabilia dealer found dead
Brett Lemieux came onto Fanatics' radar at least seven years ago as a potential sports memorabilia counterfeiter. The company told The Athletic it even altered its authenticity hologram sticker two years ago in part because of Lemieux's alleged activities. Fanatics conducted several 'test buys' of supposed autographed items from marketplace accounts set up by Lemieux, the company said, in order to build a counterfeiting case to present to Westfield, Ind., police and the FBI. Advertisement The situation turned deadly Wednesday when police found a man with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the midst of executing a search warrant involving the counterfeit scheme, according to a statement from the Westfield city government. The Hamilton County coroner's office confirmed to several Indianapolis media outlets on Thursday that it was the body of the 45-year-old Lemieux. Someone posting under Lemieux's name shared a lengthy message on an autograph collectors Facebook group called Autographs 101 earlier this week, claiming to have sold millions of counterfeit items and created millions of fake authentication holograms and stickers, along with other forgers, through a company named Mister Mancave. 'There will be photos of this bust I'm sure of it,' the message said. 'If it was (F)anatics they may try to bury it all but the Westfield police department came today at 9am with semi trucks. I hope no one tries to hide this. I want to expose it all and how big of an operation you all knew was going on but grasp how big it was. I wish I could write a book about this.' Mister Mancave, the website Lemieux referenced in his 1,000-word social media post, bears thousands of alleged authenticated autographed items up for sale. The eBay account (Break The Bank Autos) linked to the Mister Mancave website showed 21,000 items have been sold through the account with 24 items up for sale as of Thursday morning. By midday, eBay had removed the page from the website. The items posted were all autographed items ranging from Hall of Famers like Derek Jeter and Joe Montana to current stars like Lamar Jackson, Ja'Marr Chase and Alex Ovechkin. 'We have an entire team that includes former FBI agents that are out there going after bad actors like this one,' said Zohar Ravid, Fanatics president of specialty business and new ventures, who also disputed the numbers in the Facebook post. 'We're constantly monitoring what is happening in the ecosystem, especially in the marketplaces. And so we were able to follow this guy. We knew about him as long as seven or eight years ago at this point. … Our No. 1 concern is protecting the market, protecting the fan and ensuring that good actors like ourselves and other players aren't being hurt because of a few bad apples in the ecosystem.' Advertisement eBay issued a statement to The Athletic on Thursday saying, 'We are aware of an ongoing investigation regarding a sports memorabilia and autograph dealer based in Westfield, Indiana. eBay has zero tolerance for criminal activity on our platform and will cooperate fully with law enforcement as they investigate.' According to the Westfield city statement, police first executed a search warrant regarding the scheme on Tuesday on one property. The warrant extended to a second property on Wednesday, and officers found a deceased individual while conducting the search. The FBI is assisting with the investigation, according to the statement. In 2013, following a lawsuit brought by the Indiana attorney general, Lemieux was ordered to pay restitution to customers who bought sports memorabilia from his businesses that they never received. Fanatics executives said employees bought items off Mister Mancave marketplace pages throughout the year to build a case, rather than through the actual website. The homepage contains links to Amazon and eBay pages associated with Mister Mancave. The most recent test buys ramped up within the past three months, according to Fanatics. The company targeted the marketplaces for sales so the company could show the marketplaces the results of the test buys. The Facebook post attached to Lemieux claimed 'millions upon millions' of counterfeit autographs, authentication holograms, and certificates of authenticity not only with Fanatics but a variety of other major sports memorabilia companies. The post said an autopen machine was used to produce the fake signatures, and actual athlete autograph signings were used as cover for the fake merchandise, with the operation dating back 20 years. It highlighted Kobe Bryant, Tom Brady, Aaron Judge and Patrick Mahomes as some of the athletes whose autographs they faked the most over the years. Advertisement 'There's numbers being thrown around, the numbers he threw around,' Ravid said. 'If the numbers were real, we wouldn't have waited years to put that much pressure on. These aren't the numbers. It's grossly exaggerated to make a statement. The problem is real. The extent and the scale of it is less than what is being presented, but it is symbolic of what is happening in the industry.' It's the second time this year Fanatics officials say the company played a role in helping authorities in a fake autograph and memorabilia case. Fanatics officials said the company aided law enforcement leading to a January arrest of Wendell Gidden-Rogers and Lisa Skolnick from McKinney, Texas, who were charged with trademark counterfeiting. (Top images: Mister Mancave)
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
DJ Lagway Left Speechless After Fan's $6,000 Gesture
DJ Lagway Left Speechless After Fan's $6,000 Gesture originally appeared on Athlon Sports. As a true freshman for the Florida Gators this past season, quarterback DJ Lagway burst onto the scene with authority. Following an injury to Graham Mertz, Lagway started seven games, leading the Gators to a 6-1 record. He also tossed the pill for 1,915 yards and 12 touchdowns, while rushing for an additional 101 yards. The former five-star recruit from the 2024 class, who ranked as the No. 1 quarterback in the class, is widely expected to emerge as one of the sport's best this season after having a second offseason in the system and some reps under his belt. With his presumed status as one of the best in college football, collectors are already doing anything they can to get their hands on Lagway memorabilia. Something that the sophomore quarterback learned firsthand on Wednesday, as an avid collector, surprised Lagway with how much he spent on a one-of-one autographed chrome card. When asked how much he thought the card was, Lagway threw out a guess of $25. A figure that was a few thousand short, as collector Geoff Wilson revealed he spent $6,000. After initially staring at the card in awe, Lagway eventually stated, "$6,000? That's crazy." While the Willis, Texas product may be shocked at how much it is worth now, that value may only skyrocket depending on how the rest of his career unfolds. With the Gators emerging as the popular pick to be a College Football Playoff dark horse, all eyes will be on Lagway in 2025. He and the Gators open the year against LIU on Aug. story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
