Feds bust nationwide $2 million sports and Pokémon trading card scam

Authorities in New York charged two Washington men Thursday over a scheme to defraud sports and Pokémon card collectors out of $2 million by giving them fake high-grade ratings.

The scheme, stretching over two years, saw the pair inflate the prices of collectable cards featuring athletes like Michael Jordan and Tom Brady, as well as valuable Pokemon characters.

At one point, a card featuring Jordan was sold for around $171,000 when it was actually worth between $6,000 and $7,000.

Anthony Curcio, 43, and Iosif Bondarchuk, 37, are both charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, after multiple victims came forward.

“Curcio and Bondarchuk allegedly sold and tried to sell at inflated prices cards of various professional athletes, including, among others, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Nolan Ryan, Larry Bird, Julius Erving, and Magic Johnson, as well as various valuable Pokémon cards,” Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a press release.

The pair allegedly worked together between 2022 and May 2024 to sell the cards to victims across the United States, after fraudulently claiming a genuine card authentication site had given low- or mid-grade cards higher rankings.

Once those higher rankings are achieved, the company seals the card in a tamper-proof packet and labels it.

It’s alleged that Curcio and Bondarchuk faked these elements to trick collectors into forking out more than they needed to for these cards.

The pair sold or offered multiple cards over the two years, including in-person at card shows, auctions and collectables stores.

When victims caught on to what they were doing and complained, the pair reportedly feigned ignorance and issued a refund, before attempting to sell the same card to someone else.

One such card was a 1999 Pokémon Venusaur card, which the pair sold to an undercover law enforcement officer in July 2023 for $10,500.

The indictment against the pair claims they used fake identities to try to avoid detection, while also using different cellphone numbers to avoid customers.

Then in April 2024, at a card show in New Jersey, Curcio handed a potential victim a business card, claiming to be a “Brendan Wooley”, which included a LinkedIn profile and phone number. He was the one operating the fake profile, the indictment alleged.

In a statement following their arrest, FBI Assistant Director in Charge, James Smith, said that the scheme resulted in $2 million in losses for victims.

“This alleged scheme not only damages the reputation of a respectable authentication company, but the defendants’ alleged actions also betray the trust and wallets of avid collectors,” Smith said.

“The FBI will continue to investigate all fraudulent behavior, especially those who seek to exploit the good faith of companies and consumers.”

Curcio, from Redmond in Washington, and Bondarchuk, from Lake Stevens in Washington, each face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

“Thanks to our law enforcement partners, the dedicated prosecutors of this Office, and the many victims who came forward, this alleged fraud has had its last dance,” Williams added.