Two men from Washington state, Anthony Curcio and Iosif Bondarchuk, have found themselves in hot water after being arrested and charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Their questionable activities revolved around a scheme involving the sale of fraudulently graded sports and Pokémon cards, including a high-profile Michael Jordan rookie card. This scheme ended up raking in more than $2 million from unsuspecting buyers.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York shed light on the misdeeds of these individuals. Between 2022 and May 2024, Curcio and Bondarchuk allegedly engaged in deceptive practices to peddle these cards. Their modus operandi involved swapping lower-grade cards into cases that misrepresented them as higher-grade PSA 10 specimens, artificially inflating their market values significantly.
One of the notable items involved in this scam was a 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card. This card, falsely labeled as gem mint, fetched a whopping $171,000 through an online marketplace in Manhattan. However, the selling platform, MySlabs, soon identified the fraudulence and reported it to PSA and law enforcement. Other misrepresented cards included a 2009 Topps rookie card of Stephen Curry and a 1980 Topps card featuring basketball legends Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Julius Erving.
The fraudulent activities didn’t stop at sports cards; Pokémon cards were also part of the mix. For instance, a 1999 first-edition Venusaur card was sold to an undercover law enforcement officer in Manhattan for $10,500, inaccurately labeled as a PSA 10.
Curcio and Bondarchuk are accused of peddling these cards through various channels, such as card shops, shows, and online auctions. When faced with buyer complaints about the authenticity of their purchases, Bondarchuk allegedly resorted to misleading tactics by providing false contact information, attributing it to unrelated individuals.
If found guilty, both men could be staring at a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. The FBI and PSA’s Brand Protection division worked hand in hand during the investigation, underscoring their commitment to safeguarding collectors and upholding the integrity of the trading card market.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of staying vigilant in the collectibles market. It also sends a clear warning to anyone contemplating similar dishonest practices. Buyers and sellers alike must exercise caution and conduct thorough due diligence to avoid falling victim to such fraudulent schemes.
