Extra Innings · The Shadow Dugout
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United States v. William Mastro (2015)
Charge: Mail fraud - auction-house owner accused of shill bidding and concealing alterations to a famous baseball cardCourt: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of IllinoisDocket: The Shadow Dugout
Did the auction-house owner defraud bidders through fake bids and hidden alterations?
The facts
The owner of a major sports memorabilia auction house was accused of placing fake bids from 2002 to 2009 to drive up prices. Prosecutors said he also sold a famous antique baseball card after secretly trimming its borders with a paper cutter, hiding this when it sold for over $1 million. Another item, sold as an 1869 trophy ball, was allegedly sold despite lab tests showing post-war paint.
You have the facts the court had. Guilty or not guilty? Call it in the game with your friends, then see what the court actually decided. Wrong call, you drink.
Citation: United States v. William Mastro, U.S. District Court, N.D. Illinois, sentenced 2015 (no reported opinion)
Read more at justice.gov. The source reveals the outcome.