Ex-Heat Security Official Faces Charges for Theft of Million-Dollar Memorabilia
Miami – Marcos Thomas Pérez, a former security officer for the Miami Heat, appeared before federal court this Tuesday after being accused of selling jerseys and other stolen valuables, estimated to be worth millions of dollars.
Pérez, 62 years old and a Miami resident, faces charges for transporting and transferring stolen goods across state lines.
According to a joint statement from the Southern District of Florida and the FBI in Miami, authorities executed a search warrant at Pérez’s residence on April 3. During the operation, around 300 jerseys used in games and other valuables were seized, all belonging to the basketball team.
The Heat confirmed that the items had been stolen from their facilities.
Court documents indicate that Perez sold the items to online intermediaries. Authorities estimate that, over a three-year period, Perez sold more than 100 stolen items for approximately $2 million, shipping them across different states, often at reduced prices.
Among the stolen items was a Miami Heat jersey worn by LeBron James during the NBA Finals, which was sold for approximately $100,000. Subsequently, this same jersey was sold at a Sotheby’s auction for $3.7 million.
Pérez, a retired veteran of the Miami Police Department, worked for the Heat between 2016 and 2021, and as an NBA security employee from 2022 to 2025.
During his time with the Heat, Pérez was part of the security team on game days at the Kaseya Center. He had access to a secure equipment room where memorabilia that the team planned to exhibit in a future museum was stored. Documents reveal that Pérez accessed this room to steal more than 400 game-worn jerseys and other items.
