What to Know
- Nine people are accused of stealing major artwork and sports memorabilia -- including World Series rings and MVP plaques for baseball legends Yogi Berra and Roger Maris -- in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York over the span of two decades.
- After stealing the items, the suspects transported the stolen goods back to Northeastern Pennsylvania, often to the home of one of the suspects, investigators said. They then allegedly melted the memorabilia down into metal discs or bars that were easy to transport. They then sold the raw metal in the New York City area for hundreds or thousands of dollars, significantly less than the items would be worth at fair market value, officials said.
- One of the suspects also allegedly burned one of the stolen items, the painting “Upper Hudson,” by Jasper Crospey, in order to stop investigators from recovering it. The painting was worth approximately $500,000, officials said. Many of the stolen items have not yet been recovered, according to investigators.
Nine people are accused of stealing major artwork and sports memorabilia -- including World Series rings and MVP plaques for baseball legends Yogi Berra and Roger Maris -- in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York over the span of two decades.
Nicholas Dombek, 53, of Thornhurst, Pennsylvania, Damien Boland, 47, of Moscow, Pennsylvania, Alfred Atsus, 47, of Covington Township, Pennsylvania, and Joseph Atsus, 48, of Roaring Brook, Pennsylvania, were all indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment or disposal of objects of cultural heritage and interstate transportation of stolen property, officials announced on Thursday.
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The four men were also charged with theft of major artwork and concealment or disposal of objects of cultural heritage while Dombek was charged with interstate transportation of stolen property as well.
Five more suspects – Thomas Trotta, 48, of Moscow, Pennsylvania, Frank Tassiello, 50, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Daryl Rinker, 50, of Thornhurst, Pennsylvania, Dawn Trotta, 51, of Covington Township, Pennsylvania, and Ralph Parry, 45, of Covington Township, Pennsylvania – were also charged for their alleged roles in the theft, officials said.
The nine suspects conspired over a period of 20 years to break into multiple museums and other institutions to steal priceless works of art, sports memorabilia and other objects, according to investigators. After stealing the items, the suspects transported the stolen goods back to Northeastern Pennsylvania, often to Dombrek’s home, investigators said.
They then allegedly melted the memorabilia down into metal discs or bars that were easy to transport. They then sold the raw metal in the New York City area for hundreds or thousands of dollars, significantly less than the items would be worth at fair market value, officials said.
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Dombrek also allegedly burned one of the items, the painting “Upper Hudson,” by Jasper Crospey, in order to stop investigators from recovering it. The painting was worth approximately $500,000, officials said. Many of the stolen items have not yet been recovered, according to investigators.
The FBI, Pennsylvania State Police, New Jersey State Police, New York State Police and several police departments in multiple states all took part in the investigation.
The stolen items include the following:
- A Christy Mathewson jersey and two contracts signed by Mathewson stolen in 1999 from Keystone College in Factoryville, Pennsylvania
- “Le Grande Passion” by Andy Warhol and “Springs Winter” by Jackson Pollock stolen in 2005 from the Everhart Museum, Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Nine World Series rings, seven other championship rings, and two MVP plaques awarded to Yogi Berra, worth over $1,000,000 stolen in 2014 from the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center, Little Falls, New Jersey
- Six championship belts, including four awarded to Carmen Basilio and two awarded to Tony Zale stolen in 2015 from the International Boxing Hall of Fame, Canastota, New York
- The Hickok Belt and MVP Trophy awarded to Roger Maris, stolen in 2016 from the Roger Maris Museum, Fargo, North Dakota;
- The U.S. Amateur Trophy and a Hickok Belt awarded to Ben Hogan, stolen in 2012 from the USGA Golf Museum & Library, Liberty Corner, New Jersey
- Fourteen trophies and other awards worth over $300,000 stolen in 2012 from the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, Goshen, New York
- Five trophies worth over $400,000, including the 1903 Belmont Stakes Trophy, stolen in 2013 from the National Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, Saratoga Springs, New York
- Eleven trophies, including 4 awarded to Art Wall, Jr. stolen in 2011 from the Scranton Country Club, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania
- Three antique firearms worth a combined $1,000,000 stolen in 2006 from Space Farms: Zoo & Museum, Wantage, New Jersey
- An 1903/1904 Tiffany Lamp stolen in 2010 from the Lackawanna Historical Society, Scranton, Pennsylvania
- “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Cropsey, worth approximately $500,000, and two antique firearms worth over $300,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor, Ringwood, New Jersey
- $400,000 worth of gold nuggets stolen in 2011 from the Sterling Hill Mining Museum, Ogdensburg, New Jersey
- Various gems, minerals, and other items stolen in 2017 from the Franklin Mineral Museum, Franklin, New Jersey
- An antique shotgun worth over $30,000 stolen in 2018 from Space Farms: Zoo & Museum, Wantage, New Jersey
- Various jewelry, and other items from multiple antique and jewelry stores in New York, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania