Man pleads guilty in theft of Arnold Palmer green jacket, other Masters memorabilia from Augusta

CHICAGO (AP) — A former warehouse assistant for the Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership in Georgia pleaded responsible on Wednesday to transporting thousands and thousands of {dollars}’ value of stolen Masters match memorabilia and historic objects, together with one among Arnold Palmer’s iconic inexperienced jackets.

Richard Globensky, of Georgia, entered the plea in federal courtroom in Chicago. He was charged with one rely of transporting items figuring out they’d been stolen.

“I plead responsible,” Globensky instructed the decide.

Based on federal prosecutors, the 39-year-old took objects from the warehouse for sellers in Florida, who then offered them on-line at a big markup. Globensky was paid by means of a restricted legal responsibility firm arrange in his spouse’s title, amongst different methods. The scheme lasted for greater than a decade and earned him greater than $5 million.

As a part of a plea deal, Globensky should write a $1.5 million cashier’s examine to the federal government inside days. He stays free on bond and faces a most 10-year jail time period when he’s sentenced Oct. 29, however will probably get nearer to 2 years in jail underneath federal pointers.

The objects, which had been stolen between 2009 and 2022, included such historic memorabilia as inexperienced jackets and tickets to Masters tournaments within the Thirties, in addition to T-shirts, mugs and chairs, in accordance with prosecutors. Among the many stolen iconic inexperienced jackets had been these received by Palmer, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen.

Globensky, who had labored on the warehouse since 2007, would secretly {photograph} objects and ship them to a Florida-based vendor, recognized in courtroom paperwork solely as Particular person A, prosecutors stated. Globensky would then sneak out objects that they had been keen on, taking small portions to keep away from the danger of Augusta Nationwide’s auditing practices, in accordance with courtroom paperwork. Gadgets had been hidden in an offsite storage facility and shipped.

The entire loss to Augusta Nationwide was greater than $3 million, in accordance with prosecutors. A consultant for Augusta Nationwide didn’t instantly reply Wednesday to a request for remark.

Globensky declined to remark to reporters after the listening to. His lawyer, Thomas Church, instructed reporters the case was being tried in Chicago as a result of among the stolen items had been recovered within the space. Church declined additional remark due to pending investigations.

Nobody else has been charged within the case, however prosecutors stated Globensky is cooperating within the ongoing investigation.

Prosecutors in April charged Globensky with transporting stolen match merchandise and memorabilia throughout state strains to Florida. However the courtroom information didn’t say what was taken from the well-known golf membership.

Augusta Nationwide hosts the annual Masters golf match, which Scottie Scheffler received final month.

Palmer, who died in 2016 at age 87, received 4 inexperienced jackets. He’s typically credited with introducing golf to the lots and hit the ceremonial tee shot yearly on the Masters for years after he stopped enjoying within the match in 2004.

Getting a ticket to the Masters additionally offers followers the possibility to purchase unique merchandise that’s not formally offered on-line. However the inexperienced jackets are notably guarded by the Georgia firm that owns Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership and the Masters golf match.

The corporate sued in 2017 to cease a golf memorabilia firm from auctioning off a champion’s inexperienced jacket and different objects it stated had been by no means supposed to depart the membership’s grounds.

Augusta Nationwide Inc. filed the federal lawsuit in opposition to the Florida-based public sale firm in search of to cease it from promoting a champion’s inexperienced jacket and two member inexperienced jackets, in addition to silverware and a belt buckle bearing Augusta Nationwide’s map and flag emblem.

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Related Press reporter Kathleen Foody contributed to this report.