Mass Resignations, Lives Threatened as AFTAL is Hijacked During Behind the Scenes Forgery Investigation

Formed with the stated goal of stamping out fake autographs, AFTAL, the Autograph Fair Trade Alliance, attracted many of UK's and Europe's most reputable dealers as members. But while the vast majority of AFTAL dealers lived its stated goal, including a recognized expert used by law enforcement to testify against the forgery industry, AFTAL's two primary founders, Dominic Manning and Marc Mclennan, used it as cover to sell and authenticate thousands of forgeries. Manning has seized control of the organization after an AFTAL steering committee found that he sold hundreds of fake Michael Jackson autographs he claimed to have gotten in person. And like a mansion built on quicksand, AFTAL is crumbling.

As the legally listed head of AFTAL, Manning, owner of Behind the Scenes Autographs, disbanded the steering committee last week that was formed in December by boardmember Garry King after Manning and another boardmember were forced to resign. Manning then reportedly had AFTAL's lawyer slap a suppression order (gag order) on the former members of the committee, forbidding them to talk publicly about Manning's actions or their determination that the Michael Jacksons Manning sold were forgeries.

In the UK, even revealing that you are under a suppression order can have you held in contempt of court, so little information about it has come out and no public documents appear to be available. But the sudden silence of former steering members who used to speak to me confirms its existence in my mind.

Events have taken a violent turn. Several autograph dealers have reportedly been threatened by Manning or the source of the forgeries, Adrian Longden, and police reports have been filed. At least one victim is in fear of his life.

Roughly a third of AFTAL members have resigned or are in the process of doing so, and many more are anticipated to resign as they hear about the scandal.

Stay tuned for more. Autograph Magazine is preparing a list of current and former AFTAL dealers considered reputable. Please message me if you would like to be considered for this list.

For more details on AFTAL's actions and the Dominic Manning/Adrian Longden forgeries, read the following Autograph Magazine Live! discussions:

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Comment by Carl Ryan on February 10, 2013 at 4:27pm: And at this point i think we all knew that an apology would come from the guilty, along of course with denial, and claims that they were duped just like the buyers. Deniability is the word here. They will most certainly never tell the truth of the situation if they dont have too. Would you if you had knowingly sold bad items that could technically be termed fraud?? If you would go through that amount of risk, would you ever tell the truth?

Comment by Grant Davis on February 10, 2013 at 5:00pm: Not at all - Adrian and Dominic now fall into the second (bracketed) part of my post!!

Comment by Rick Meyer on February 10, 2013 at 5:23pm: I wouldn't assume Dominic or Adrians autograph days are over. Last I saw Dominic was still selling autographs on EBAY.

Money does crazy things. There will be another dealer out there who will take a chance in Adrian's junk. There always is.

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on February 11, 2013 at 12:49am: Brandon,

I got email notifications that you posted two comments here asking if I rewrote the title of the original Autografica discussion. They were not there when I clicked the links, so you must have deleted them. If that was not intentional, please repost.

Comment by Brandon Mysinger on February 11, 2013 at 3:01am: No, I didn't erase it. However, I see that the title was edited.

Comment by shawn on February 11, 2013 at 8:09am: I find it funny that both Steve and Carl are still making the accusations (and no one else even cares). I went to Mike's house for his kid's 4th birthday party, so I guess calling it a run-in (which is just silly as is it) is a simple generalization that they want to make to make it sound like I haven't known him for a VERY long time. I came to Mike's house this weekend because there were lots of autographs to get in Columbus this weekend AND for the birthday party. I showed him on my laptop the stuff that was going on while sitting in the car, which he just laughed and said," I have no interest in helping out on that site anymore." And then some few choice words about Steve which don't really bear repeating. But he did, again ask me to put his information up.

@Gary Harvey. You knew me, I had the silver Expedition that we rolled around in when we came to L.A. to collect. Maybe you didn't talk to me all that much. Mike did and still does most of the talking as he NEVER shuts up.

Again, I'm not going to be baited by Steve and his surname Carl Ryan. Yes, I have a zip drive with the info Mike gave me, which he gave to me simply because he thought I'd put it out. But I'm not Mike's savior, I'm not his mouthpiece. If I put it up, then he'll just ask me to keep putting stuff up for him should he have the desire.

And yes, I was one of the guys who actually GOT Nirvana at the Arizona State fair with him.

Comment by Gary Harvey on February 11, 2013 at 2:07pm: Rick

The McCartneys seem to have been forgotten. Roger showed us how to spot them , as they were all signed at the same angle. They will turn up Im sure

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on February 11, 2013 at 2:41pm: Brandon,

What was the title edited from, and to? Not that there is anything wrong with editing titles.

Comment by Gary Harvey on February 11, 2013 at 2:57pm: Hello Carl,

I beleive Grants comments were in relation to the visit at my front door and it being a bad call.......

It definately was,

It was totally un expected and although at first I was in shock I think its quite funny now

Its pretty sad how people think the ordinary guy in the Street is not entitled to an opinion given the evidence and what Roger Epperson offered

I actually never ever said anything on those Forums suggesting Adrian forged any items

My original statement suggested due to the amount of items being passed into Jacksons security, was it not possible these signed returns were secaterials ? Thats it, thats all I said

But I gather thats not the point here in the UK

Certain people and no names offered, actually want this to go away. They want no talking on these subjects anymore via this forum

I watch and read with interest what happens around the next corner

Obviously the Ex Steering Commitee will not offer anything for fear of action or repraisals along the line

So any information anyone can offer I will look forward to reading

Mr Thanos has been too busy collecting in the Winter Wet season in London Town so maybe he has a update upon his return to Manchester

Thanks Guys

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on February 11, 2013 at 3:10pm: Shawn,

You got Nirvana at the Arizona State Fair with Aring? That's not what you said in the Attaining Nirvana blog on Feb. 2, the day you joined this site: http://live.autographmagazine.com/profiles/blog/show?id=3524372%3AB...

I used to know Mike and his parents really well back in the day. I saw that Anne Marie Nirvana mag. I remember seeing that in Mike's house after he got them and thinking of how odd the inscription was. We were all sports guys at the time and sports people just sign and move on, nothing really added to the signature. So it was extra weird to see all that on the magazine. But mostly, I remember asking why I wasn't invited to tag along for the Nirvana trip and he told me," I didn't think anyone else would care." His buddy Kevin was actually the one who talked him into trying for Nirvana. I remember Mike coming back from L.A. for Nirvana as well that guitar neck that Kurt gave him as well. Be careful, Mike's biggest drawback is his arrogance when it comes to autographs." And on February 2 when you signed up--last weekend--you said you saw Mike Aring weeks before. You were clear you were no longer in Columbus, but that where you were when you joined this site.

Please explain.