Court News: Updates on Mastro Case, John Rogers

The National Sports Collectors Convention is set to open next week, and with that timing usually comes some sort news, arrests or court dealings having to do with the criminal side of the hobby. This year is no different.

In the ongoing case of of Bill Mastro and former Mastro Auction employees (and current employees of Legendary Auctions) Doug Allen and Mark Theotikos, according to the N.Y. Daily News, Theotikos is expected to change his plea to guilty when he has a court appearance on Aug. 5. Theitikos originally entered a not guilty plea in 2012.

Allen and former Mastro employee William Boehm are scheduled for a September trial, according to the Daily News.

In other news, Arkansas Business has reported that John Rogers and his business Sports Card Plus Inc. have been sued by the heir and former keeper of the George Burke & George Brace Collection of photographic negatives for not fulfilling a contractual obligation regarding the $1.35 million purchase of the collection.

According to the article, "Mary Brace, daughter of the late George Brace, alleges that Rogers breached the June 2012 contract by which he purchased the negatives by missing an $85,000 payment that was due on April 1 and that she is still owed $765,000."

Brace has received $500,000 in payment thus far and was to receive the remaining $850,000 in increments of $85,000 due every April 1 through 2022. Arkansas Business reports the lawsuit also states that Rogers also failed to deliver to Brace a digital copy of the complete collection as promised in the sales agreement.

In late January, search warrants were executed at Rogers’ business and home as part of a criminal investigation conducted by federal prosecutors in Chicago, which is said to be related to the Mastro case.

For the complete article on the Rogers lawsuit, CLICK HERE.