New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning was involved in a scheme to sell fake game-worn memorabilia, reports the New York Post.
According to court filings obtained by the newspaper, Manning sent an email to the team’s equipment manager asking for “helmets that can pass as game-used.”
The Giants did not produce such helmets, but the email itself is still incriminating in the civil racketeering lawsuit, which accuses Manning, among others, of conspiring to provide fake memorabilia to collectors.
Brian Brook, the plaintiffs’ lawyer in the suit, says the emails prove “Manning was looking to give non-game-used helmets to Steiner [Sports] to satisfy — fraudulently — his contractual obligation.” Manning, Giants owner John Mara, Steiner Sports, and Giants equipment manager Joe Skiba are all being sued, as is the organization.
This is a bad look for the franchise, Manning, and everyone else involved. Anyone who has spent hard-earned money on memorabilia from Steiner Sports now has reason to doubt its authenticity. If that memorabilia is Giants-related, there’s a decent chance it’s fake according to these allegations. That’s disappointing to fans and collectors alike.