On October 13, 1999, based upon an extensive amount of evidence, Special Agents of the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service executed approximately sixty (60) search warrants at residences and businesses in five (5) states, including California, New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Over 400 Special Agents were involved in the operation.

While executing the search warrants, the FBI and IRS seized over $500,000 cash and approximately $10 million of forged memorabilia. The seized memorabilia included over 10,000 forged baseballs, signed by a variety of athletes and celebrities. Some of the autographs included:

• Mother Teresa
• President Ronald Reagan
• Babe Ruth
• Ty Cobb
• Mickey Mantle
• Roberto Clemente
• Mark McGwire
• Sammy Sosa
• Tony Gwynn

The FBI and IRS also seized or purchased hundreds of "cut" autographs. These are pieces of paper containing an autograph of an individual who has died many years ago. The autograph cuts which were seized or purchased included:

• President George Washington
• President Abraham Lincoln
• President Theodore Roosevelt
• President John F. Kennedy
• James Dean
• Marilyn Monroe
• Elvis Presley
• James Cagney
• Walt Disney
• Charles Chaplin
• Ty Cobb
• Babe Ruth
• Christy Mathewson
• Cy Young
• Roberto Clemente

The government investigation revealed that the counterfeiters used ink, writing implements, and paper which were produced when the forged individual was living. To acquire the "old paper," they tore blank pages from old books which they purchased at thrift stores.

The evidence seized during this investigation is currently being stored in a 10,000 square foot warehouse.