Two men from Washington state, Anthony Curcio and Iosif Bondarchuk, found themselves in hot water after being charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Their elaborate scheme involved selling fraudulently graded sports and Pokémon cards, duping unsuspecting buyers and raking in over $2 million in the process.
The duo’s shady dealings caught the attention of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, who revealed that between 2022 and May 2024, Curcio and Bondarchuk were engaged in deceptive practices. Their modus operandi included swapping lower-grade cards into cases, passing them off as higher-grade PSA 10 specimens, and significantly inflating their market values.
One of the high-profile items at the center of this con was a 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card, falsely portrayed as gem mint and sold for a whopping $171,000 through an online marketplace in Manhattan. The fraudulent nature of this card was brought to light by the platform MySlabs, who promptly reported the issue 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 deceit didn’t stop at sports cards – Pokémon cards were also part of their fraudulent activities. A 1999 first-edition Venusaur card was sold to an undercover law enforcement officer in Manhattan for $10,500, masquerading as a PSA 10 card.
Curcio and Bondarchuk cast a wide net in their sales tactics, peddling their ill-gotten cards at various venues like card shops, shows, and online auctions. When buyers raised concerns about the authenticity of their purchases, Bondarchuk reportedly resorted to providing false contact information, attributing it to unrelated individuals in an attempt to cover their tracks.
Facing the possibility of up to 20 years in prison if convicted, both men are now caught in the legal net. The FBI and PSA’s Brand Protection division worked in tandem during the investigation, showcasing the collaborative efforts to safeguard collectors and maintain the integrity of the trading card market.
This high-profile case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of remaining vigilant in the volatile collectibles market. It also sends a clear warning to would-be fraudsters contemplating similar deceptive practices that the consequences can be severe.