A Manhattan federal jury on Wednesday found a Washington state man guilty of faking mint grades to inflate the value of high-dollar trading cards, including a prized Michael Jordan rookie card, in what prosecutors described as a meticulously executed scheme targeting collectors. The case, dubbed the Jordan Card Fake Mint Grades suit, exposed the high-stakes world of graded collectibles to federal scrutiny.
Jury Reaches Verdict After Two Days
After roughly four hours of deliberation across two days, the jury returned a verdict against Anthony Curcio, capping a trial before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams that began on Jan. 13.
Curcio, of Redmond, Washington, lowered his gaze and wiped tears as the verdict was read. He was convicted of wire fraud and conspiracy, with sentencing scheduled for May 13.
Curcio’s co-defendant, Iosif “Joe” Bondarchuk, previously pled guilty in connection with the alleged $2 million scam, which reportedly began around 2022, and testified against Curcio during the trial.
