Two Washington state men, Anthony Curcio, 43, from Redmond, and Iosif Bondarchuk, 37, from Lake Stevens, are facing legal consequences after being arrested and charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Their illicit activities revolved around a fraudulent scheme selling graded sports and Pokémon cards, with a highlight piece being a counterfeit Michael Jordan rookie card, ultimately swindling over $2 million from unsuspecting purchasers.
The shenanigans of Curcio and Bondarchuk caught the attention of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, which revealed that the duo engaged in deceitful tactics between 2022 and May 2024. They were accused of deceitfully replacing lower-grade cards with misrepresented higher-grade PSA 10 specimens, significantly inflating the cards’ market values.
One of the pivotal items in their fraudulent portfolio was a 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card that was deceptively marketed as gem mint and sold for $171,000 via an online platform in Manhattan. This card was later flagged as counterfeit by the selling platform, MySlabs, upon which the issue was escalated to PSA and law enforcement. Other cards that fell victim to their mistreatment included a 2009 Topps rookie card of Stephen Curry and a 1980 Topps card featuring basketball legends Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Julius Erving.
However, it wasn’t just sports cards that were involved in the scam; Pokémon cards also found their way into their deceptive practices. For instance, a 1999 first-edition Venusaur card was sold to an undercover law enforcement officer in Manhattan for $10,500 under the false pretense of being a PSA 10 grade.
Curcio and Bondarchuk were accused of peddling these fraudulent cards through various channels like card shops, shows, and online auctions. In situations where buyers raised concerns about the authenticity of their purchases, Bondarchuk reportedly provided misleading information, attributing it to unrelated individuals.
If found guilty, both men could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The investigational efforts involved a joint collaboration between the FBI and PSA’s Brand Protection division, underscoring the commitment to safeguard collectors and uphold the integrity of the trading card market.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of diligence in the collectibles market and acts as a cautionary tale for anyone contemplating engaging in similar deceptive schemes.
