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GFA Authentication.com Search Uncovers Massive Amounts of Impossibly Identical "Autographs": Mantle, DiMaggio, Ali, Clapton, More

This is the last post in my 4-part series revealing the truth about GFA (Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators) authenticated autographs. The truth may shock you if you own any...unless you've tried to sell them.

Before I start on this most explosive, revealing, compelling and disturbing blog on Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators (GFA and Stephen Rocchi/John Gorajczyk), please observe the below image.

Please note also, over the years, I cannot recall that image with authentic autographs of Mantle, DiMaggio, Martin and Ford.

If you look on Ebay, you will observe this image coupled with sham COAs.

Like the above, the below is a mass-produced set of forgeries that are actually printed forgeries; they are basically a copy produced on inkjet paper.

Please read my below blogs on GFA before you continue if you haven't read my previous threads on Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators.

This is Part 1

https://live.autographmagazine.com/profiles/blogs/guaranteed-forens...

This is Part 2

https://live.autographmagazine.com/profiles/blogs/guaranteed-forens...

This is Part 3

https://live.autographmagazine.com/profiles/blogs/guaranteed-forens...

Please observe the below image again.

If you go to the below GFA link, it shows the GFA Cert Check Data Base.

You simply type in the GFA Cert Number (without the GFAA).

http://gfaauthentication.com/certcheck

Now go there and type in Cert Number "67341."

Here is the result.

Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Whitey Ford and Billy Martin "autographed" photo.

Here is an enlarged image showing the photo (Mantle, DiMaggio, Martin and Ford) from the GFA Cert Database.

Now if you go back and read the latter part of my Part 3, you will read that I discovered nine consecutive (808941-808549) Mantle/Maris forgeries from the GFA Cert Check database and that piqued my curiosity, so I decided to do the same with other GFA cert numbers and that's when I discovered that GFA Cert Numbers 67341-67399, a total of 51, are the same Mantle, DiMaggio, Ford and Martin set of forgeries.

The first image in this blog are six of those images showing how identical they all all.

There is nothing shocking about this; I have observed it for years with GFA-certed forgeries/images that we have seen since the days of AtAuction and Ted Taylor, Drew Max, Christopher Morales and since Sept. 2011, Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators.

This blog is simply to illustrate the obvious about GFA.

I purchased a set of these forgeries just to get a hands-on look, and in addition to them being obvious forgeries and, in my opinion,mechanically-produced (printed) forgeries, they were produced on inkjet paper, as I have discovered two dozen times before.

By the way, the smudged spot on the below piece that I own is the dry erase marker test.  If that was a photo lab image, the spot would have been removed by the dry eraser marker, but as you can clearly see, because it is inkjet paper, and inkjet paper is porous, the "io" in DiMaggio soaked into the image and the dry erase marker is unable to remove it.

In my opinion, this is as incriminating as the forgeries themselves (which can be opined in one second) considering that GFA/Rocchi/Gorajczyk have been touting their so-called "New Technology and Sophistication" and their "Scientific Proof" that an autograph is either authentic or a forgery.

What a bunch of BS!!!

I have NEVER observed an authentic set of Mantle, DiMaggio, Ford and Martin autographs on that particular image and yet GFA/Stephen Rocchi and John Gorajczyk "authenticated" 58 just in one consecutive batch, and they're also all produced on inkjet paper (Mantle passed away in 1995 and Billy Martin in 1989).

Think about that!!!

Now check out GFA Cert Numbers 71139-71190.

They (51 in total in consecutive order) are all the same image of Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford. shown below.

Once again, if you look at GFA Cert Numbers 71139-71190, you will observe that every image is almost identical to each other.

Please note that I have mined a ton of stuff from the GFA Cert Check database, but I have only exposed three batches here.

Over the years, I cannot recall that image with authentic autographs of Mantle and Ford.

Mantle and Ford never did a dual, private signing of this image for anyone.

I would also bet a year's pay that the person who submitted this batch to GFA didn't even pay $25.00 for the so-called "Forensic and Scientific" examination of these pieces.

Does it get any more blatant than this!!!

Check out GFA Cert Numbers 55011-55023.

All Eric Clapton (same image).

Is everyone seeing a pattern here!!!!

Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators (GFA) headed by Stephen Rocchi and John Gorajczyk began operations in Sept. 2011.

The autograph community was optimistic that there was going to be another Third-Party-Authenticator (TPA) to compete with PSA and JSA.

I was not one of those optimistic autograph collectors once I read the company name Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators.

Forensics have zero to do with opining autographs.

But that optimism was short-lived when autograph collectors realized the autographs authenticated by GFA were the same autographs (forgeries) authenticated previously by the likes of Christoper Morales, Drew Max (AAU), Ted Taylor and Nicholas Burczyk that were sold by the thousands on the old auction site called AtAuction.

They are called the Florida (where they are produced) forgeries.

  

I've written the following hundreds of times, but I will repeat it:

As of today, November 23, 2018, I have yet to observe one authentic autograph with a COA from Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators (GFA) since their inception in Sept. 2011.

The below is from the GFA website:

New Technology And Sophistication

As of Sept. 2011, the sports memorabilia authentication companies have used collectors and dealers as their authenticators.  These authenticators, highly respected in the industry have for their collecting and selling expertise have had little or no formal training in forensics and document examination.

Stephen's background in law enforcement along with his years of experience in authentication, working with well-trained forensic and document examiners, combined with today's latest technology, can produce scientific proof that signatures are authentic or counterfeit.

"GFA's Scientific Proof"

What "Scientific Process" does Rocchi/Gorajczyk utilize to produce "Scientific Proof" that signatures are authentic or forged?

There is no "Scientific Process."  It does not exist.

There is no "Scientific Approach" to opining autographs.  It does not exist.

There is no "Latest Technology."  It does not exist.

There is no "New Technology and Sophistication."  It does not exist.

The aforementioned has zero to do with opining autographs because they do not exist, but Stephen Rocchi and his website make it read like there is some new "Science" or new "Technology" that GFA invented/created/utilizes to "Guarantee" that the autographs they authenticate are authentic.

It's all BS!!!

Forgeries are meant to having the appearance of looking authentic, and since approximately 80% of the people who buy autographs are casual collectors and impulse buyers, forgeries are an easy sell, especially on Ebay, where EBay is an enabler of this garbage!!!

Add to that, the word Forensics, and the casual collector and impulse buyer are going to be impressed. 

I will also add, that the scammers (intentional sellers of forgeries) use the Forensic COA as a shield (they know exactly what they are selling).

Does it get any more blatant than this!!!!

According the the GFA website, they have Three Tiers Of Authentication Service.

Level 1 is $100.00

Level 2 is $200.00.

Level 3 is $300.00.

Yet, according to an ABC article that was posted after Muhammad Ali passed away and hundreds of questionable GFA-certed Ali autographs flooded Ebay, Rocchi stated GFA only charges $25.00 per examination because "He's proud of the low cost that is being delivered to the consumer," saying "this is the way it's supposed to be."

Rocchi also commented "He will put his lead authenticator, John Gorajczyk, who worked for nearly two decades as a forensic scientist for the Phoenix Police Dept., up against those at JSA and PSA.

From my observations over the past seven years, John Gorajczyk doesn't know squat about sports autographs...

And by the way, what does working as a Forensic Scientist have to do with opining autographs!!!

Now you know why GFA only charges $25.00 per examination.

Think about this.....

"Over 100 Years Of Law Enforcement" with "Scientific Proof and Today's Technology" Did This.

Forensic Scam or Total Incompetence?

Views: 10251

Comment by David Divins on December 19, 2018 at 3:40pm

Great piece. How has this group escaped civil or criminal legal action?

Comment by CJCollector on December 19, 2018 at 5:32pm

Thank you, David.

That is a GREAT question!!!!

Comment by David Divins on December 19, 2018 at 7:51pm

Christopher, since you purchased these items, I believe that makes you an aggrieved party (not a lawyer). You can contact law enforcement. Any chance any of these were mailed via USPS :)

Comment by Fuddjcal on December 19, 2018 at 8:24pm

He is very very aggrieved, that much I can tell you. I am also aggrieved. No chance of anybody doing jack squat. It's the never ending scam that is perfectly legal in America, if there is profit to be made. Ask E-bay in the Philippines. They will just apologize and fawn all over you for 10 minutes and do absolutely NOTHING. Maybe they should investigate all the crooks for tax evasion, that how Capone got it.

Comment by CJCollector on April 6, 2019 at 11:42am

This garbage will never stop and will always infect our autograph hobby.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/123718910609

Comment by Joseph Horton on April 15, 2021 at 3:09pm

Amazing detail to your argument. You back up your claim well. I almost purchased an item from them. You saved me 200 dollars. Thank you!!

Comment by CJCollector on April 15, 2021 at 4:30pm

Joseph, thank you very much, and you're welcome.

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