ESPN Covers Latest Developments in Consumer-Fraud Lawsuit Against NY Giants, Eli Manning
ESPN reports on the latest developments in our consumer-fraud lawsuit, on behalf of memorabilia collectors, against the New York Giants and QB Eli Manning. We allege, and the evidence reflects, that (1) Eli Manning, with the help of other Giants' personnel, provided counterfeit “game-used” items to Steiner Sports, which sold them to collectors, including our clients; and (2) the Giants learned about these practices and failed to stop them, much less remedy them. The fraudulent memorabilia includes a helmet displayed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as purportedly worn by Eli Manning during the Giants’ Super Bowl 42 win against the New England Patriots.
Despite this and other evidence, Defendants have asked the New Jersey Superior Court’s Law Division to grant summary judgment and prevent the case from going to trial. Our opposition to Defendants’ motions points to, among other evidence, sworn deposition testimony from Giants' employees and expert opinions of photomatching expert John Robinson, founder of Resolution Photomatching. Robinson, who regularly authenticates items for auction houses and other collectors, opined that four items represented as game-used Eli Manning items were likely never worn by Manning during a game.
As partner Brian Brook, lead counsel in the case, told ESPN, “After over a year of discovery, and hiring their own expert, the Giants still haven't shown that Eli Manning gave a single real helmet to Steiner Sports.”
ARTICLE
Darren Rovell & Jordan Raanan, Giants, Collectors Make Their Cases in Memorabilia Fraud Lawsuit, ESPN.com (Feb. 13, 2018).
OTHER COVERAGE
Kaja Whitehouse & Bruce Golding, Giants Failed to Investigate Eli Manning Memorabilia Scam: Suit, N.Y. Post (Feb. 11, 2018)
Will Hobson, Dirty Laundry: Eli Manning, the Giants and a Legal Battle Over Game-Worn Memorabilia, Wash. Post (June 29, 2017)