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Why was REA tied to the FBI's recent investigation?

MorgothMorgoth Posts: 3,950 ✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
Here is a link I found, sorry if it was posted before.

REA selling stolen goods
Currently completing the following registry sets: Cardinal HOF's, 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1980 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, Bill Mazeroski Master & Basic Sets, Roberto Clemente Master & Basic Sets, Willie Stargell Master & Basic Sets and Terry Bradshaw Basic Set

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    justmichaeljustmichael Posts: 1,048
    There has been accusations that Lifson was involved in the theft of items that landed in Harpers collection.I do not know how valid the claims are though.
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    yankeeno7yankeeno7 Posts: 9,243 ✭✭✭
    Hey Mike!

    Im in before the poof! image

    Did REA sell any of Halper's stuff? If so and anyone is being sued, they will name every possible party in a lawsuit.
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    MorgothMorgoth Posts: 3,950 ✭✭✭
    Lifson was a "special consultant" to Sotheby's which actually sold the Halper collection.

    Lifson is stated in the article to have admitted to have been caught stealing from a museum before. The problem with this article is that there are no sources for his statements linked to it so you don't know how much of it is corroborated other than the lots being pulled by REA.
    Currently completing the following registry sets: Cardinal HOF's, 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1980 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, Bill Mazeroski Master & Basic Sets, Roberto Clemente Master & Basic Sets, Willie Stargell Master & Basic Sets and Terry Bradshaw Basic Set
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    mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭
    The Nash / Lifson debacle goes back a long way.

    In short, take everything that Nash says about Lifson with a boatload of salt.
    I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
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    MorgothMorgoth Posts: 3,950 ✭✭✭
    Yeah but its undeniable that the lots were stolen, they did try and sell them and the FBI is investigating them. Those facts are from multiple sources not just him.

    The part about Lifson admitting he stole items, I have heard from a few sources but I haven't seen it in print directly quoting him yet.

    Also Halper had tons of bad items. All the Ty Cobb stuff from his biographer has proven to be a bad. The HOF has removed a lot of Halper stuff from its displays. Lifson did sell the remainder of the Halper stuff for his widow.

    Yeah it probably is tainted but there is some smoke there.

    Edited to add: That article doesn't paint either of them in a good light. If Lifson knew the items were fake but passed them on he is as guilty as Nash is. It seems that anyone connected to Mastro ends up like this.
    Currently completing the following registry sets: Cardinal HOF's, 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1980 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, Bill Mazeroski Master & Basic Sets, Roberto Clemente Master & Basic Sets, Willie Stargell Master & Basic Sets and Terry Bradshaw Basic Set
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    judgebuckjudgebuck Posts: 989 ✭✭✭
    Mastro and Lifson split a long time ago and are at odds, aren't they? I've read the book, The Card, and it puts Lifson in a favorable light and Mastro in an unfavorable light in regard to the history of the PSA 8 T206 Wagner. I may be wrong/naive, but I have always believed Lifson and REA to be honest. Also, as someone else posted, the accusations against Barry Halper and REA are coming from unreliable sources.

    Always looking for Mantle cards such as Stahl Meyer, 1954 Dan Dee, 1959 Bazooka, 1960 Post, 1952 Star Cal Decal, 1952 Tip Top Bread Labels, 1953-54 Briggs Meat, and other Topps, Bowman, and oddball Mantles.

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    MorgothMorgoth Posts: 3,950 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Mastro and Lifson split a long time ago and are at odds, aren't they? I've read the book, The Card, and it puts Lifson in a favorable light and Mastro in an unfavorable light in regard to the history of the PSA 8 T206 Wagner. I may be wrong/naive, but I have always believed Lifson and REA to be honest. Also, as someone else posted, the accusations against Barry Halper and REA are coming from unreliable sources. >>



    These are not allegations, the HOF had material stolen and it ended up in REA's auction, that's a fact. No matter how it happened, it happened. Also Lifson has had it happen before when selling the Halper collection (which is IMO more of an indictment on how crappy the Halper collection really was than it is of Lifson).

    The other stuff on how much each player knew is up for judgement calls. The FBI is interested in stolen goods being sold through their auctions and REA cannot deny that it happened. I wouldn't doubt that some big time collectors get knocks at their doors and have to give back items bought from a lot of auction houses to their proper owners. I don't think this is just an REA thing but they are right now under more of a spotlight.
    Currently completing the following registry sets: Cardinal HOF's, 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1980 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, Bill Mazeroski Master & Basic Sets, Roberto Clemente Master & Basic Sets, Willie Stargell Master & Basic Sets and Terry Bradshaw Basic Set
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    justmichaeljustmichael Posts: 1,048


    << <i>Hey Mike!

    Im in before the poof! image

    Did REA sell any of Halper's stuff? If so and anyone is being sued, they will name every possible party in a lawsuit. >>


    Hey Barry!
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    yankeeno7yankeeno7 Posts: 9,243 ✭✭✭
    I actually feel bad for REA...how many stolen items have ever been sold in auction that were not caught? It's impossible to know every stolen piece out there. Ownership of rare cards does not come with a serial number like a handgun. Someone saw it, pointed it out, and it appears REA did the right thing by pulling the auction. REA looks like they are caught in the middle. I admit I didnt full read the article and maybe Im just blowing smoke out of my rear...but I have always known REA as honest and reliable.
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    MorgothMorgoth Posts: 3,950 ✭✭✭
    The general thinking is that Lifson helped nark on Mastro, Mastro in turn narked on them and this other guy who runs the website linked in the first post owed Lifson money and is now helping to nark on everyone. Lifson used to work for Mastro as well and is linked to Halper.

    Its all a convoluted mess it appears. I don't think anyone here is completly innocent. I wish there were more oversight into these things and the HOF and museums need a much better cataloging system.

    Also, it doesn't take much detective work on REA's part to figure out that the cabinet card was "damaged" to hide museum markings. So I don't view their pulling the auction as a good gesture. I think they just got caught with their pants on the ground.
    Currently completing the following registry sets: Cardinal HOF's, 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1980 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, Bill Mazeroski Master & Basic Sets, Roberto Clemente Master & Basic Sets, Willie Stargell Master & Basic Sets and Terry Bradshaw Basic Set
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    theskypilottheskypilot Posts: 248
    "WHAT HAPPENED?"

    If I tell you , I'll have to kill you

    The Sky Pilot

    image
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    hhmag70hhmag70 Posts: 2,107


    << <i>"WHAT HAPPENED?"

    If I tell you , I'll have to kill you >>




    Sad to see the avatar changeimage
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    judgebuckjudgebuck Posts: 989 ✭✭✭
    REA is alleged to have sold stolen cards/memorabilia. If they knew it was stolen, then that is a crime. It's called, in most states, "knowingly receiving stolen property." If they didn't know it was stolen, then they didn't commit a crime. They did nothing wrong. I still maintain, from all I have read, that REA is an honest and reliable company/group/person.

    Always looking for Mantle cards such as Stahl Meyer, 1954 Dan Dee, 1959 Bazooka, 1960 Post, 1952 Star Cal Decal, 1952 Tip Top Bread Labels, 1953-54 Briggs Meat, and other Topps, Bowman, and oddball Mantles.

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    MorgothMorgoth Posts: 3,950 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Lifson, addressing the rumor of the library theft publicly for the first time, confirms that a kernel of it is true: Thirty-two years ago, he says, he was a precocious minor with too much money and freedom; one day while doing research at the library, high on a mix of drugs and alcohol, he secreted two photographs under a piece of cardboard attached to the outside of his briefcase. He was caught before he could leave the room. Other than one group school trip to the library, Lifson says, he had never been there before, and he has never been there since. The incident is embarrassing to talk about, Lifson continues, but it was also a life-changing experience. Now he is a virtual teetotaler. He has served as a consultant to the FBI in a number of memorabilia-related cases and is proud to have played a role in bringing at least some reform to the hobby. "Even I can't believe what is possible to do from my basement sometimes," Lifson says. >>



    Quote from a sports illustrated article. It appears Lifson has had issues with stealing in the past, maybe the far past but it still doesn't look good for the owner of an auction house.
    Currently completing the following registry sets: Cardinal HOF's, 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1980 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, Bill Mazeroski Master & Basic Sets, Roberto Clemente Master & Basic Sets, Willie Stargell Master & Basic Sets and Terry Bradshaw Basic Set
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    theskypilottheskypilot Posts: 248


    << <i>

    << <i>"WHAT HAPPENED?"

    If I tell you , I'll have to kill you >>




    Sad to see the avatar changeimage >>



    HH

    all of a sudden it went POOFimage

    when they allow us to upload avatar's I'll try to bring her back
    The Sky Pilot

    image
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