Former Heat security official pleads guilty to memorabilia theft
In a recent court update, Marcos Thomas Perez, former security officer for the Miami Heat, pleaded guilty to transporting and transferring stolen memorabilia, including game-worn jerseys and other valuables.
Perez, 62 years old, is a retired veteran of the Miami Police Department, where he served for 25 years. Subsequently, he worked for the Heat from 2016 to 2021, and as an NBA security employee from 2022 to 2025.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and the FBI in Miami, Perez stole more than 400 t-shirts and other items from a secure equipment room. The sale of these items was carried out through various online platforms.
Your access to this area was due to your role on the security team during game days at the Kaseya Center. Perez was one of the few employees with access to the room where memorabilia intended for a future team museum was stored.
Authorities report that, over a three-year period, Perez sold more than 100 stolen items, obtaining approximately $1.9 million. These objects were shipped across different states, often at considerably low prices.
Among the stolen items was a LeBron James jersey worn during the NBA Finals, which Perez sold for around $100,000. Subsequently, this same jersey was sold at a Sotheby’s auction for $3.7 million.
