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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 terrier8HOF on September 5, 2016 at 2:55pm: then they should be beaten at their own game. prove "forensically" that the crap photos they have been peddling were printed after the death of Mantle, Dimaggio etc.

Comment by michael phillips on September 5, 2016 at 3:08pm: Chris,

Thanks for posting and thanks for all the members replies.

I just hope this case is a winner and deters future scammers and gives people who love the autograph collecting hobby belief to come together and route out these people. Its a process that takes time and determination but its well worth the effort.

Comment by Richard S. Simon on September 5, 2016 at 3:09pm: That can happen. Jimmy Spence and I were jointly sued by a forensic, many years ago. We retained our own forensic for one particular item that was totally bogus.

Comment by terrier8HOF on September 5, 2016 at 3:10pm: the number of GFA Mantle and Dimaggio listings on ebay is WAY down, and the bid activity and prices are ridiculously low. The sellers are getting concerned and the buyers are getting smarter. how stupid do you have to be to invest in something where having it certified actually LOWERS the value of the item?

Comment by Steve on September 5, 2016 at 3:17pm: It would be in all of our best interest to keep these threads alive and to reach out to local news agencies so that they can pick up on this story. The more people it reaches, the better.

Comment by CJCollector on September 5, 2016 at 3:17pm: The "Forensic" list continues; Nicholas Burczyk (there is no proof he actually examined any Mantle, DiMaggio, Williams, etc. autographs), Chris "I Never Saw An Autograph I Didn't Like" Morales, Drew Max and Rocchi.

Rocchi took over "authenticating" for John House and AtAuction after House dumped Morales, Max and Ted Taylor.

They are all peas from the same pod.

Comment by CJCollector on September 5, 2016 at 3:19pm: Steve, I have every intention on keeping this thread alive.

I still own items (forgeries) that I purchased from John House & AtAuction. I still have them in their original UPS packaging.

I have kept them like that for a reason.

That reason may be soon.

Comment by CJCollector on September 5, 2016 at 3:22pm: Terrier, I do not believe that the "buyers are getting smarter."

I believe the market for that crap (forgeries certed by Rocchi and GFA) is now saturated.

The delusional who buy those forgeries, simply do not need any more for their so-called "autograph collection."

Comment by terrier8HOF on September 5, 2016 at 3:26pm: but there are always new buyers out there.

Comment by CJCollector on September 5, 2016 at 3:29pm: Yes, of course, and that is the reason why prices for that garbage continues to spiral downward.

The previous market is saturated.

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