Greg Lindberg, the founder and chairman of the investment company that owns Beckett, was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison in 2020 for his scheme to bribe an elected official in North Carolina.
In 2019, Beckett's Vice President Jeromy Murray and Regional Sales Manager Derek Ficken were forced to testify in a case between Upper Deck v Leaf Trading Cards. A former BGS & current Leaf employee was found to receive an unusual amount of "Black Label 10" grades.
Company President, Sandeep Dua, was accused in a 2015 lawsuit to have severely mistreated employees.
The lawsuit alleged Dua's non-stop bullying and unethical conduct caused an employee to suffer a mental breakdown in August 2014.
Crazy Uncle is run by Aaron Rothschild, a former Senior Auction Coordinator at Steiner Sports.
Aaron Rothschild
Crazy Uncle's first auction was in October 2019. An address for the business came back to a 750 sq/ft office in Harrison, NY.
Forum user CJ Dave claimed he consigned $500K - $750K worth of items in March of 2020 to Crazy Uncle. Many of those items were supposed to have a "reserve", meaning if they didn't reach a certain price, they weren't supposed to be sold. But some of those items were sold for an amount under the reserve. Rothschild claims that it was caused by a computer glitch.
Despite the issues from March 2020 auction, CJ Dave decided to consign an additional $500,000 worth of items in the next Crazy Uncle auction.
Once again items are sold that should of had reserves that were not met.
But things then get worse. Unsold items were dumped in front of CJ Dave's house. Not once, but twice. Wow. Here is how he describes the events:
Not Once....
While I am at work today I see on my home cameras that all the "unsold" items from the auction were dumped in front of my house.....about 30 feet from the street in plain view for anyone to see.
I would estimate over $500K worth of collectibles were just put in front of my house, some in boxes, many just out in the open and easily distinguishable as to what the item was.
Quickly, I cancelled all my meetings and dashed home for an hour drive as fast as possible so that I could get these items inside and not stolen.
I called Aaron repeatedly until he picked up. I asked if he was kidding me, his response: "You said you don't want to do business with me anymore so here's your sh*t back."
I told him those items were stored and locked away, not to be placed in front of my home in 95 degree heat. These are one of a kind historical documents signed by our founding fathers (Washington, Adams, Jefferson, etc.) and signed by Lincoln, Kennedy, every President and Vice President. Had I not had cameras of my home on my computer, those items would be sitting out for anyone to steal and to be destroyed in the heat until I got home about 10 hours later. His response, "Not my problem anymore."
But Twice....
So as a further update to everyone, and just when I thought Aaron from Crazy Uncle's couldn't: a) stoop any lower, b) couldn't have any less regard for other peoples hard earned and cherished property and c) couldn't act with any less professionalism and class that he has alread.
As I am on vacation this weekend away from home with my family, I get a call from a neighbor that another large batch of my stuff was dumped in front of my house DURING A TROPICAL STORM!!!!
By the time I had the neighbor grab the items for me, they said many of the boxes were soaked! I have no idea what items are in the boxes as I won't be home until later tonight, but by the quantity of items, this is at least another $250K worth of my valuable collection!
I ask this....where and when does this ABSURDITY end?
Several hobby outlets have helped promote Crazy Uncle Auctions, including multiple articles written on the blog for Blowout Sports Cards.
You’d think a Facebook group devoted to exposing scammers in the sports card hobby would be a safe place.
Think again.
In the often shady world of sports cards – things are not always what they seem
Last April, disgraced breaker Nathan Burns of Grand Slam Collectibles broke 25 cases of Heroes of Sport – a product riddled with trimmed cards from convicted felon Will Jaimet.
The product exposed the shady world of card trimming, and eventually led to an FBI investigation.
You’d think Burns, Jaimet, and the others associated with the scam would be exposed on sites devoted to exposing scammers.
Any negative comments about Burns are scrubbed. And he’s not the only one.
Last year Stephen Michael, owner of Filthbomb Breaks, sold a trimmed Mickey Mantle to a collector. When the collector posted about the incident on the Facebook group – the post was deleted.
Why?
Because Filthbomb Breaks was an advertiser.
But it gets worse …..
Chris Gilmore
For over a year, collectors have been waiting on Chris Gilmore, a moderator on the Scammers Exposed page, and breaker for Vintage Breaks to deliver on a group PSA submission.
The collectors are still waiting.
The supposed 45-day turnaround has lasted over a year.
Gilmore’s response: “Just tell them all to f*ck off”
After a victimized collector got upset about the long wait, Ron Steven Marion, another admin of the Scammers Exposed Facebook Group, messaged the collectors’ place of employment and threatened to leave negative reviews about the business.
Marion later bragged about it to the group.
Collectors are still waiting for their cards.
Some victims feel Gilmore kept the customers’ cards for himself – and the delay is due to the fact he needed to purchase cards in lesser condition to submit.
If you question where your cards are a year later – moderators of the Scammers Exposed Group will call the HR department where you work.
This hobby is full of greedy scumbags.
Recently another moderator of the Facebook Scammers Exposed, Drew Herndon, invited Luis Molina – who runs a cleaning/trimming service for getting cards higher grades onto The Hobby Hotline Show. (link takes you to where the interview starts).
Despite being banned by all the major grading services since 2018, Luis is allowed to promote his service.
A search of Luis’ name in the Scammers website reveals:
Wonder if he’s a paying advertiser as well?
Ultimately the Facebook Scammers Exposed group & website is simply a slush fund to collect bounties from other scammers – and a feeding ground for the moderators to conduct scams themselves.
With card values never being higher – you wonder why dorks like this have to stoop to these levels. But the hobby seems to attract cockroaches. Be careful.
Sports Card Exchange owner Luis Papa is suing Panini America and Beckett Grading Services (BGS) over a trimmed 2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady autograph rookie card.
Papa is seeking damages of at least $200,000 and an additional amount for mental anguish.
Card dorks are a special breed.
Louis Papa
Here is the backstory on the case.
Panini released 2016 Honors Football, and inside boxes were some buyback autograph cards.
The biggest hit in the entire product was a 2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady autograph rookie card.
Papa didn't pull the card directly, he purchased the card from a fellow dealer in 2018.
After acquiring the card, Papa sent it to BGS, and the card came back an 8.5.
Papa wanted BGS to put a special '1/1' designation on the holder but BGS refused.
Upset, Papa took the card to Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA). When PSA looked at the card they said it was trimmed.
Upon hearing the card was trimmed according to PSA, Panini & BGS took another look at the card. After a second look, on August 14, 2018 BGS came back and agreed with PSA, the Brady card was trimmed.
Papa now wants BGS and Panini to provide compensation for the trimmed Brady.
This case could help solve another hobby mystery. Was the Brady Contenders pulled by Dustin Clay of DnT Sports Cards on the now infamous 'Brandin Cooks #/99' video?
Panini is not the manufacturer of the card. Playoff Corporation printed and released the Card sixteen (16) years before Panini acquired the card, which Panini re-released in its 2016 Honors Football set.
When Panini acquired the card, it had already been graded, sealed, and slabbed by Beckett Grading Services.
Papa, who purchased the card from a third—party on the secondary market did not acquire or receive the card directly from Panini; nor did Panini make any representations to Papa in the context of that transaction, two years after Panini released its 2016 Honors Football set.
A jury trial is currently scheduled for 8/31/2020.
After some initial communication, Papa blocked an account associated with Sports Card Radio. Papa requested to appear on a podcast, but Sports Card Radio was not interested.
