Two men from Washington state, Anthony Curcio, 43, of Redmond, and Iosif Bondarchuk, 37, of Lake Stevens, found themselves in hot water as they were arrested and charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Their alleged crimes revolved around a lucrative scheme involving the sale of fraudulently graded sports and Pokémon cards, ultimately raking in over $2 million from unsuspecting buyers.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York disclosed that between 2022 and May 2024, Curcio and Bondarchuk engaged in deceptive tactics to push these cards onto the market. Their modus operandi included substituting lower-grade cards into cases, misleading buyers by presenting them as higher-grade PSA 10 specimens, thereby boosting their market values substantially.
At the center of the deceit was a 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card, falsely touted as gem mint and sold for a staggering $171,000 through an online platform in Manhattan. However, the selling platform, MySlabs, soon uncovered the fraud and promptly reported the issue to PSA and law enforcement. Other misrepresented cards included a 2009 Topps rookie card of Stephen Curry and a 1980 Topps card featuring basketball legends Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Julius Erving.
The fraudulent activities weren’t limited to sports cards, as Pokémon cards also fell victim to the duo’s schemes. A 1999 first-edition Venusaur card, marketed as a PSA 10, was sold for $10,500 to an undercover law enforcement agent in Manhattan, only to be revealed as another fake.
Curcio and Bondarchuk allegedly peddled these dubious cards at various locations, including card stores, exhibitions, and online auctions. When confronted with authenticity concerns from buyers, Bondarchuk purportedly resorted to providing false contact details, attributing them to unrelated individuals.
Should the two men be found guilty, they could potentially face up to 20 years behind bars. The collaborative efforts of the FBI and PSA’s Brand Protection division during the investigation underscore the ongoing commitment to safeguarding collectors and upholding the integrity of the trading card market.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance in the collectibles industry and sends a clear message to those contemplating engaging in similar fraudulent practices.
