Mastro Auctions: Looking for Former Employees

[Jenx34]

Originally Posted by irv

When I first started reading this thread, I agreed with most that everyone deserves a second chance but the more opinions I read and the more I learned about the man the more I changed my thoughts on this.

Currently I am still on the fence, with a slight tilt to the left, saying no way should he have been hired back into the hobby but I also think if he is being used for his expertise (If he has some?) and providing consultation trying to help clean up the hobby by identifying fraudulent cards and memorabilia, then I am not so sure that is a bad thing.

Someone mentioned in this thread, Frank Abagnale. (Catch me if you can) If I am not mistaken, he was hired as a consultant and has likely helped the U.S. Gov't/FBI/CIA, etc, by identifying same/similar frauds/scams and the like that he once used saving the American people/Gov't millions of dollars?

If this is the case, then I must admit I am all for it, but if he is doing none of this, then no way do I agree with this hiring based on what I have read about the man and how many people, over the years, he has ripped off.

Frank Abagnale:
Legitimate jobs
In 1974, after he had served less than five years of his 12-year sentence at Federal Correctional Institution in Petersburg, Virginia, the United States federal government released him on the condition that he help the federal authorities, without pay, to investigate crimes committed by fraud and scam artists, and sign in once a week.[21] Unwilling to return to his family in New York, he left the choice of parole up to the court and it was decided that he would be paroled in Texas.

After his release, Abagnale tried numerous jobs, including cook, grocer, and movie projectionist, but he was fired from most of these after it was discovered he had been hired without revealing his criminal past. Finding these jobs unsatisfying, he approached a bank with an offer. He explained to the bank what he had done and offered to speak to the bank's staff and show them various tricks that "paperhangers" use to defraud banks. His offer included the condition that if they did not find his speech helpful, they would owe him nothing; otherwise, they would owe him only $500 with an agreement that they would provide his name to other banks.[22] With that, he began a legitimate life as a security consultant.[23]

He later founded Abagnale & Associates, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma,[23] which advises companies on fraud issues. Abagnale also continues to advise the FBI, with whom he has associated for over 40 years, by teaching at the FBI Academy and lecturing for FBI field offices throughout the country. According to his website, more than 14,000 institutions have adopted Abagnale's fraud prevention programs.[24]

Abagnale testified before the US Senate in November 2012 about the vulnerabilities of senior citizens to fraud, particularly stressing the ubiquitous use of Social Security numbers for identification included on Medicare cards.[25][26][27]

I don't know what his role is with Heritage, but Abagnale's is not a good comparison regardless. Abagnale never went to work for a bank where he had access to anything, he was merely a consultant teaching banks to avoid fraud, just as he was doing with the Federal Government.

A proper comparison would be if Mark Theotkis (sp?) would consult with all auction houses that want to pay him to help them prevent fraud, identify counterfeit items, etc.