Logan Paul Takes Legal Action Over Authenticity of Michael Jordan Collectible
WWE star and social media influencer Logan Paul has filed a lawsuit against Heritage Auctions in a Texas district court. The legal action focuses on concerns about the authenticity of a section of the United Center floor, signed by Michael Jordan, which Paul acquired at an auction. According to court documents, Paul was not allowed to investigate the authenticity of the soil before Heritage requested payment, which was originally due on September 25. He was informed that he would lose his rights to the item if he did not meet the deadline. Paul’s winning bid was $562,555.42, including the buyer’s premium. Josh Bernstein, Paul’s lawyer, requested a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction against Heritage Auctions. The restraining order was granted on Thursday morning. The hearing date for the temporary injunction was set for October 9.Heritage promoted the floor as “the ultimate Michael Jordan display piece.” The description stated that it was an 8-by-8-foot section of the “Original Game-Used Court from the 1994-98 United Center.” It is signed by Jordan and includes the inscriptions “Air Jordan”, “5X MVP”, “6X Finals MVP”, “10X Scoring Title” and “HOF 2009”. The Heritage description also mentioned a certificate of authenticity from Upper Deck Authentication, with whom Jordan has had an exclusive partnership for a long time, and third-party authentication from PSA/DNA and Beckett Authentication Services. A Heritage spokesperson stated that they do not believe Paul’s claim has merit, adding that the auction house made concessions for Paul to “accommodate any in-person inspection and reasonable efforts for further review.” Paul’s lawsuit alleges that the floor condition “does not match the 1995-1998 court, as a result of the court having been replaced or, as Heritage claims, repainted and refinished.” According to the lawsuit, PSA certification indicates that the Bulls logo appears different from photos from the 2001-05 seasons. Bernstein requested documentation from Heritage after Paul won the auction. In emails found in court documents, Heritage’s sports auction director, Chris Ivy, acknowledged that there is no “such documentation… that matches the court from the 1998-99, 1999-2000 or 2000-2001 seasons” and that the photo-matching company Sports Investors Authentication “was unsuccessful because the photo-matching attempts were only with the Bulls logo itself, not with the wood grain, which is what PSA used for its provided photo matches.” The complaint acknowledges that the Upper Deck certificate refers to the years 1995-98 and that the PSA/DNA photo match certificate “claims to have matched the item to” the 2001-02 to 2005-06 seasons.It is evident that authenticity is fundamental in the collector community. Collectors like Logan deserve and are entitled to a proof of authenticity that withstands scrutiny and addresses the obvious gaps and inconsistencies.
Josh Bernstein, Logan Paul’s lawyer
