FBI's Operation Bullpen hooks network

SAN DIEGO - The FBI's Operation Bullpen has infiltrated and dismantled a network of 20 forgers, authenticators, wholesalers, and retailers who are responsible for the creation and sales of up to $100 million of forged memorabilia, items that are both sports and nonsports-related. Twenty individuals, all from California, are cooperating with federal officials in pleabargaining agreements on a variety of fraud and tax charges.

The forgers are Greg Marino, Angelo Marino; Mike Moses of the Sports Management Group, Universal Authentic Memorabilia and Sports Alley; Mike Lopez of International Sports Marketing in Rosemead, Cal.; David Tabb of Hollywood Dreams, Classic Memorabilia and Hollywood Collectibles, all of Santa Ana, Calif.; and Richard Mitchell of San Diego. Others named by the FBI during a press conference Wednesday, April 12, are Wayne Bray of Sports & Celebrity Authentic Autographs (SCAA), John Marino, Gloria Marino, Kathleen Marino and Angelo Marino; Robyn Moses, a wholesaler; Reno Ruberti, of Universal Authentic Memorabilia; Karen Ruberti; Mike Bowler of Catch a Star, JMC Distributors and J&M Sports Cards of Oceanside, Calif.; Ricky Weimer of Rick's Collectibles in Escondido, Calif.; Sheldon Jaffe of Shelly's Cards in Tustin, Calif.; Richard Laughlin of Framed Images in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.; Michael Tapales of Prime Time Sports Cards in Buena Park, Calif.; Carmen Lombardo of Home Field Advantage in Del Mar, Calif; Jon Hall of Del Mar Sports Cards in San Diego; Lowell Katz of the Beautiful and the Unusual in Long Beach, Calif.; Bruce Gaston of La Jolla Sports Cards in LaJolla Calif; Frosty Goembeske of Frosty's in Fullerton, Calif.; Anthony Marino of Pro Sports Memorabilia in Apple Valley, Calif; and Scott Harris and Mary Lou Harris of Universal Authentic Memorabilia in San Clemente, Calif. In addition, the FBI told Sweet Spot that the operations of the J. DiMaggio Company have been shut down. In addition a significant number of items that were known forgeries carried a certificate of authenticity attributed to Don Frangipani; and Robert Proudy and Jim Bellino of Forensic Document Services (FDS). Forged items were supported by fake or misleading authentication documents. However, no charges have been brought against the latter authenticators.

The FBI confiscated items that made their way to distributors in California, New Jersey, Nevada and Florida, including 10,000 signed baseballs. Sports memorabilia bore faked autographs of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, Cy Young, Roberto Clemente, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Tony Gwynn. Other merchandise had fake signatures of Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Satchell Paige, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Jimmie Foxx, Robin Yount, George Brett, Rocky Marciano, Jack Dempsey, Junior Seau, Joe Montana, Brett Favre, Dan Marino, Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. The forgery ring was based in Southern California, but authorities believe the merchandise was distributed throughout the nation and outside the United States.

The FBI used undercover agents who posed as distributors of American memorabilia in Asia, thus enabling the FBI to purchase evidence without being forced to sell forged items to the public, the FBI reported. The FBI-created distributors were called Nihon Trading Company in Oceanside, Calif. "The goal of the Undercover Operation was to infiltrate the forged memorabilia market and obtain recorded statements from those individuals who were identified as forgers, authenticators and distributors of fraudulent memorabilia," the FBI reported. All told, the FBI conducted more than 1,000 audio and video tapes of its meetings.

The "conspirators" complained that retailers sold forged memorabilia too cheaply, thus calling attention to this facet of the industry. Another trafficker told an agent that "the Internet is a great method of selling forged memorabilia because it is not policed by anybody," the report said. A dealer added that "by obtaining bogus Certificates of Authenticity, you are buying a scapegoat," the reported continued, adding that the same trafficker told the agent that "he rationalizes selling forgeries to the public by thinking about how good the forged memorabilia makes the customer feel as long as they don't know it is fake."

The investigation revealed that the counterfeiters used ink, writing implements and paper which were produced when the individual being forged was living. To acquire the "old paper," the forgers tore blank pages from old books purchased at thrift stores. The evidence seized during this investigation is being stored in a 10,000 square-foot warehouse.

This story is still unfolding. We will continue to present the hobby's most extensive coverage of this investigation and other investigations online at www.sweetspotnews.com and in the June/July edition and future issues of Sweet Spot.