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Antiquities Caesars Palace, GFA/Stephen Rocchi and AAU/Drew Max Sued for Autograph Fraud

According to the Courthouse News Service, Mr. Daniel Odobas has filed a lawsuit against Antiquities Of Nevada (Toby Stoffa), Drew Max (Authentic Autographs Unlimited) and Stephen Rocchi (Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators for "Fraud, Deceptive, Trade, Misrepresentation, Unjust Enrichment, Conspiracy, Bad Faith, Breach Of Contract and Breach Of Warranty."

Immediately below are links to the story.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/08/30/vegas-memorabilia-house-ac...

http://www.inquisitr.com/3472565/vegas-antiques-and-memorabilia-dea...

In my opinion, this was a long time coming.

Drew Max of Authentic Autographs Unlimited, gives himself the title of Forensic Document Examiner (FDE).

What in the world does "Forensics" have anything to do with autographs?

Very, very rarely in my opinion.

I don't know of any Forensic Document Examiner who knows sports or music autographs

It is also important to know that COAs and LOAs issued by Forensic Document Examiners or by authentication companies that use them, are much less likely to be genuine.

I have yet to see an authentic autograph of Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio or Ted Williams with a COA from Drew Max (AAU).

Not one.

Just below is a link to a thread I wrote on Drew Max and one of his performances on the Pawn Stores show as he Forensically Examined an FDR "Letter To Clergy."

http://live.autographmagazine.com/profiles/blogs/drew-max-forensic-...

Then, of course, there is Stephen Rocchi and his Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators (GFA) group.

In the six years since Rocchi started GFA, I have yet to see one authentic Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams or Joe DiMaggio autograph with a COA from GFA (Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators).

Also, since when does a Forensic Examination only cost $25.00?

Rocchi does all of the below for $25.00 and still can't get it right.

From Rocchi's website. Seriously?

You do not need "Forensics" to determine if an autograph is authentic or not.

http://live.autographmagazine.com/forum/topics/ebay-mantle-dimaggio...

http://live.autographmagazine.com/forum/topics/joe-dimaggio-forgeri...

http://live.autographmagazine.com/forum/topics/roger-maris-forgerie...

Just below is a typical Mickey Mantle forgery on a baseball with a COA from Stephen Rocchi and Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators.

It can be opined in less than one second as a forgery.

What is Rocchi thinking when he issues a COA for the below Mantle forgery?

Rocchi (Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators) has certed dozens of the below set of Mickey Mantle/Roger Maris forgeries on a reproduced Safe At Home poster.

A real authenticator would laugh and dismiss this garbage in a millisecond, but Rocchi has certed dozens of these as authentic.

These are, at best, laughable.

When will all of this "Forensic" madness finally end?

Tags: aau, antiquities, caesars palace, drew max, forgeries, fraud, gfa, lawsuit, pawn stars, rocchi, More…toby stoffa

9 members like this

Comment by Danny Francis on January 5, 2018 at 3:16pm: Jason, I think Richard and Fudd are so upset at all of the forging that has happened and continues to happen that they r disgruntled at everything in the system.

If I had $5,000 and was in Vegas. I would of trusted a huge store like Antiquities for authentic merchandise. Like I said before, I know no-one here so why or how would I have known that this website existed. If anyone Google's this site they would see that the owner of this site is going through a lawsuit as well. So most intermideate collectors would of steared clear of the best place to learn.

Richard is right. His greed over came him.

Comment by BallroomDays67 on January 5, 2018 at 3:25pm: I wonder if the L.A. Woman LP is an original U.S. issue. Morrison was in France at the time of its release, and passed away two and a half months later.

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on January 5, 2018 at 3:29pm: Why would Antiquities sell Lennon handwritten and signed lyrics so cheaply when his handwritten UNSIGNED lyrics to "A Day in the Life" sold for $1,200,000 at Sotheby's in 2010?

Comment by Richard S. Simon on January 5, 2018 at 3:34pm: Good one there Steve, I was just going to Google Lennon handwritten lyrics and you saved me the problem.

Now I feel reinforced for my original opinions. This guy was stupid and/or greedy.

I am glad he got his money back, but let us not make him out to be such a good guy. He could have researched before taking the $$$ plunge. This was not one guy buying a Stones guitar for $4K. This was a guy spending BIG money. Who does not exhibit SOME CARE when doing that.

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on January 5, 2018 at 3:37pm: Lennon's "All You Need is Love" handwritten lyrics sold at Cooper-Owen for $1,250,000 in 2005. UNSIGNED

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on January 5, 2018 at 3:42pm: "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" sold at Julien's in 2016 for $354,000 in 2016, and previously sold in 2014 at Christie's UK for $239,500. That was unsigned, too.

And that wasn't a working set. Lennon wrote it out for someone, with a little art. Working lyrics typically bring a lot more.

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on January 5, 2018 at 3:46pm: A few more handwritten have sold—very few are out there—and all brought hundreds of thousands as I recall. I don't recall any signed ones but I could be wrong.

Comment by Joe W. on January 5, 2018 at 3:50pm: Sounds to me that it would take an attorney who knows how to litigate this type of lawsuit. In many ways, it would have to be viewed as being more like a prosecutor in a criminal case. It also seems, if I were involved, I would want it to be a trail by jury case. Although, I speak as a layman.

Comment by CJCollector on January 5, 2018 at 3:53pm: My man Fudd has been a huge supporter of mine for a long time and I have always appreciated that support. He's been fighting the bad guys for a long time also and he has his own way of getting message across.

I have always felt that the majority of people who purchase forgeries must shoulder some of the blame for contributing to the success of the forgery industry.

And I will write for the 1,000th time; the sellers of forgeries depend on the fact that the majority of people who buy autographs are casual collectors and impulse buyers. That is their bread & butter.

The sellers of forgeries know how to play the game from the name of their business to using an "impressive reading" COA. And they lie with a straight face.

That being said, the fact that Mr. Odobas got his money back speaks volumes. Who cares about some dopey press release.

"Prices Realized" on authentic items as compared to the forged items, also speaks volumes.

Comment by CJCollector on January 5, 2018 at 4:00pm: Joe, I have stated that many times; you cannot protect people from themselves.

Mr. Odobas got his refund, which is great, but there's always someone else who will come along and buy those same items.

It's never-ending.

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