UTwo Texas residents charged in an extensive autograph fraud case have been named in a civil lawsuit filed this week in federal court, documents show.
Beckett Collectibles LLC and Beckett Authentication Services LLC filed a complaint against Wendell Gidden-Rogers and Lisa Skolnick on March 10.
Gidden-Rogers, who turns 52 on March 12, and Skolnick, 47, both of McKinney, are being sued in U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division. Beckett is seeking a jury trial. It is also seeking preliminary and permanent injunctive relief.
In its complaint, Beckett asked the court to stop the defendants from selling any items that improperly sport the Beckett Marks — or to use the Beckett Marks on any counterfeit items.
“Beckett is exploring all legal avenues against the alleged counterfeiters from McKinney, Texas,” Beckett stated. “It is important that all collectors can pursue the items they want with confidence in their authenticity. To do this better, Beckett is taking all measures to fortify and protect its brand wherever it’s found in The Hobby. We hope that by taking action we set a precedent for other players to do the same and protect our industry, customers, and community.”
The defendants were arrested on Jan. 15 at Gidden-Rogers’ residence by the Collin County Sheriff’s Office after members of the department’s criminal investigation division discovered thousands of “fraudulently manufactured” jerseys, helmets, photos, balls and other items that carried bogus autographs.
Investigators said the arrests were tied to an ongoing case into the online sale of fake memorabilia.
Gidden-Rogers and Skolnick were charged with trademark counterfeiting, $30,000 to $150,000, which is a third-degree felony in Texas, the sheriff’s office wrote in a news release. Both defendants were released after each posted $40,000 on Jan. 16.
On Jan. 22, the sheriff’s office and an FBI liaison contacted Beckett, informing company officials that Gidden-Rogers and Skolnick were producing and selling numerous counterfeit items that bore fake authentication stickers from several companies, including Beckett, PSA, JSA and Fanatics.
The items included footballs, basketballs, baseballs, helmets, and jerseys with fake signatures from famous athletes and “inauthentic authentication stickers” bearing the Beckett Marks, as well as those of PSA, JSA, Fanatics, and similar companies, the complaint states.
The sheriff’s office said that Gidden-Rogers and Skolnick had a Ghostwriter autopen machine, which can be programmed to duplicate a celebrity’s name in a specific size, court documents state. According to the complaint, the defendants allegedly looked up serial numbers in Beckett’s database that were properly authenticated by the Texas-based collectibles company.
The duo then allegedly forged the athlete’s signature and placed fake authentication stickers with the items, using the Beckett Marks. The bogus items also included the serial number that the defendants had found in Beckett’s database.
“Defendants’ fraudulent scheme of selling fake sports memorabilia items bearing counterfeits of the Beckett Marks and seal threatens to undermine not only Beckett’s entire reputation, but the entire sports memorabilia industry,” the plaintiffs wrote in the lawsuit. “Beckett now seeks redress for its harm.”
Beckett stated in court papers that the company suffered “actual, compensatory, and consequential monetary damages” because of the counterfeit scheme. It also said its reputation was tarnished by the fake autograph scheme.
“Defendants’ actions are willful and wanton, or in reckless disregard for the rights of Plaintiffs, and Defendants continue to be unjustly enriched by their actions,” Beckett stated in the complaint, according to court documents.
Beckett is seeking to recover profits realized by Gidden-Rogers and Skolnick, along with court costs. The company is also seeking “treble the amount of damages.” Beckett is also seeking statutory damages “of up to $2 million” per counterfeit mark, “due to the Defendants’ willful counterfeiting in accordance with Section 35 of the Lanham Act.
The Lanham Act, officially called the Trademark Act of 1946, is a federal law that governs trademarks, service marks and unfair competition. It went into effect on July 5, 1947.
Authorities said that Rogers has a lengthy arrest history and has been on the radar of sports memorabilia dealers and authenticators for several years.
This article originally appeared on Sports Collectors Daily.
