Aussie Man Flips Coins to Buy Michael Jordan Basketball Cards
Although Michael Jordan has long been the trendsetter in the hobby world, one man's overzealous attempt at collecting the legend's cards has resulted in jail time. A man in Melbourne, Australia was recently sentenced to prison for 42 months (a minimum of 17 months) for his role in stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in rare and valuable coins to fund his obsession with basketball cards.
As reported by the Herald Sun and The Age, Marcus Loricchiella worked at a specialty coin show, Downies Coins, and used his position there to steal at least $537,000 in coins over a three-year period and sell them on eBay. Loricchiella used a significant part of that money in his quest for Michael Jordan basketball cards, ending up with a collection worth approximately $100,000. He also used money to furnish his home and take trips to New Zealand and Fiji.
Loricchiella did not take full responsibility for the theft, which he believed to be worth only half of the actual amount he was convicted of taking. He claimed that his stealing ways stemmed from an undiagnosed mental issue in which he took from others to buy something that gave him comfort. This "comfort stealing" was a result of a relationship gone sour that brought on a period of depression.
Unfortunately, there was no word about which Jordan cards he had in his possession but it is safe to assume that some amazing cards comprised his $100K collection.
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