Logan Paul Questions Authenticity of Object Signed by Michael Jordan
WWE star and renowned influencer, Logan Paul, has filed a lawsuit against Heritage Auctions in a Texas district court. The legal action arises from concerns about the authenticity of a fragment 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 ground before making the payment, which should have been made on September 25th. He was informed that he would lose his rights to the item if he did not meet the deadline. Paul’s winning bid amounted to $562,555.42, including the buyer’s premium. Josh Bernstein, Paul’s attorney at Akerman LLP, requested a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction against Heritage Auctions, which was granted on Thursday morning. The hearing date for the temporary injunction is set for October 9.Heritage Auctions promoted the floor as “the ultimate Michael Jordan display piece.” The item description stated that it was an 8-by-8-foot section of the “Original Court Used in the 1994-98 United Center Games.” It was signed by Jordan and included 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 “conduct any in-person inspection and reasonable efforts for further review.” “We stand behind every item we sell,” Heritage affirmed, reiterating that the floor was acquired directly from the Bulls. “This lot would not have been included in the auction unless we were completely certain of its authenticity.” Paul’s lawsuit alleges that the floor’s 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 than in photos from the 2001-05 seasons. Bernstein requested documentation from Heritage after Paul won the lot. In emails found in court documents, Heritage’s sports auction director, Chris Ivy, acknowledged that there is “no 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 photo-matching attempts were only made with the Bulls logo, 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-matching certificate “claims to have compared the item” to the 2001-02 to 2005-06 seasons. Upper Deck, Beckett, and PSA could not be immediately reached for comment.Authenticity is paramount in the world of collectibles. Collectors like Logan deserve, and are entitled to, proof of authenticity that withstands scrutiny and addresses any inconsistencies.
Josh Bernstein, Logan Paul’s lawyer
