Interesting to say the least:
http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/dealer-charged-in-jersey-scheme-paints-ugly-picture/
http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/dealer-charged-in-jersey-scheme-paints-ugly-picture/
WELLS was asked if the card companies knew that what he was selling to them was not game used. WELLS said that the card companies were too smart to put their beliefs in writing but they knew a lot of what they were buying from resellers like WELLS was not game used. WELLS recalled a conversation he had with UPPER DECK buyer MIKE O'GRADY at the Anaheim, California National Sports Collectors Convention approximately three years ago. During the conversation, O'GRADY told WELLS that UPPER DECK needed eight DEREK JETER jerseys and they were willing to pay between $1,000 and $1,200 each. WELLS told O'GRADY that he was paying between $3,500 and $5,000 for JETER jerseys from STEINER SPORTS and STEINER SPORTS obtained their JETER jerseys directly from the New York Yankees.
WELLS told O'GRADY that by only paying $1,200 for JETER jerseys, UPPER DECK was inviting fraud. O'GRADY said that UPPER DECK knew what they were getting, but they needed the JETER jerseys at the minimum price.
On several occasions, O'GRADY told WELLS that he was not happy with the whole buying process but that was the way UPPER DECK wanted to do it. O'GRADY told WELLS that on occasion, customers would return problematic uniform swatch cards to the company and UPPER DECK would send those customers some type of replacement item.
O'GRADY told WELLS that UPPER DECK would buy game used pants and put the pants on their game used cards. UPPER DECK would tell their customers that the fabric swatch was part of a player’s jersey. WELLS explained that in the game used market, not very many people collect game used pants so pants sell for far less than jerseys. Also, pants had less player identifiers such as numbering and name tagging so they are easier to forge.
