Two men from Washington state, Anthony Curcio, 43, of Redmond, and Iosif Bondarchuk, 37, of Lake Stevens, have found themselves in hot water after being accused of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. These charges revolve around their allegedly deceptive scheme involving the sale of fraudulently graded sports and Pokémon cards, which raked in a staggering sum exceeding $2 million from unsuspecting buyers.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York revealed that between the years 2022 and May 2024, the duo worked together in deceiving their buyers with regards to the authenticity and grade of the cards being sold. Their modus operandi allegedly involved swapping lower-grade cards into cases that falsely represented them as higher-grade PSA 10 specimens, thereby significantly inflating their market values.

Notable among the items that were misrepresented and sold was a 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card. The card, falsely purported to be in gem mint condition, was offloaded for a hefty $171,000 through an online marketplace in Manhattan. Eventually, the selling platform MySlabs identified the card as fraudulent and promptly reported the issue to PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) 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 were not limited to sports cards alone, as the scheme also encompassed Pokémon cards. In a particular instance, a 1999 first-edition Venusaur card was sold for $10,500 to an undercover law enforcement officer in Manhattan, falsely labeled as PSA 10.

From card shops to shows and online auctions, Curcio and Bondarchuk allegedly attempted to peddle these dubious cards. In situations where buyers raised concerns about the authenticity of their purchases, Bondarchuk purportedly misled them by offering false contact details attributed to unrelated individuals.

Upon conviction, the pair could face a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The collaborative efforts of the FBI and PSA’s Brand Protection division were pivotal in the investigation, exemplifying the ongoing commitment to safeguard collectors and uphold the integrity of the trading card market.

This case shines a spotlight on the necessity for vigilance within the collectibles market. It stands as a stark warning to individuals contemplating engaging in similar deceitful practices, emphasizing the repercussions that follow such fraudulent activities.

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