Logan Paul Questions Authenticity of Michael Jordan Object and Files Lawsuit
WWE star and recognized social media influencer, Logan Paul, has filed a lawsuit against Heritage Auctions in a Texas district court. The legal action focuses on the authenticity of a section of the United Center floor, signed by Michael Jordan, which Paul acquired at an auction. According to court records, Paul alleges that he was not allowed to verify the authenticity of the soil before making the payment, which was originally due on September 25. He was informed that he would lose his rights to the object if he did not meet the deadline. Paul’s winning bid for the piece was $562,555.42, including the buyer’s premium. Josh Bernstein, attorney for Paul de Akerman LLP, requested a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction against Heritage Auctions. The temporary restraining order was granted on Thursday morning, and 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 detailed an 8-by-8-foot section of the “original floor used in United Center games from 1994-98.” The piece 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 the auction house does not believe Paul’s claim has merit, adding that concessions were made for Paul to “accommodate any in-person inspection and reasonable efforts for further review.”Authenticity is crucial 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
In the lawsuit, Paul alleges that the condition of the floor “does not match the floor from 1995-1998, as a result of the floor being 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 lot. In emails found in court records, Heritage’s sports auction director, Chris Ivy, acknowledged that there is no “such documentation… that matches the floor 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 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 matched the item” to the 2001-02 to 2005-06 seasons.We stand behind every item we sell. This lot would not have been included in the auction unless we were completely sure of its authenticity.
Heritage Spokesperson
