Logan Paul Questions Authenticity of Michael Jordan Object and Files Lawsuit
WWE star and social media influencer Logan Paul has filed a lawsuit against Heritage Auctions in a Texas district court, alleging concerns about the authenticity of a piece of the United Center floor signed by Michael Jordan that Paul acquired at auction. According to court records, 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 of Akerman LLP, Paul’s attorney, requested a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction against Heritage Auctions, which was granted on Thursday morning. A date has been set for the hearing on the temporary injunction for October 9.Heritage promoted the floor as “the ultimate Michael Jordan display piece.” The listing described an 8-by-8-foot section of “Original Game-Used United Center Court from 1994-98.” It is signed by Jordan and includes the inscriptions “Air Jordan”, “5X MVP”, “6X Finals MVP”, “10X Scoring Title” and “HOF 2009”. The Heritage list 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 any merit, adding that concessions were made for Paul to “accommodate any in-person inspection and reasonable efforts for further review.” “We stand behind every item we sell,” Heritage reiterated, stating that the floor was acquired directly from the Bulls. “This lot would not have been included in the auction unless we were completely sure of its authenticity.” Paul’s lawsuit alleges that the floor’s condition “does not match the 1995-1998 floor, as a result of the floor being replaced or, as Heritage claims, repainted and refinished.” According to the lawsuit, PSA certification says 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 documentation matching the floor from the 1998-99, 1999-2000 or 2000-2001 seasons” and that the photo verification company Sports Investors Authentication “was unsuccessful because photo matching attempts were only done with the Bulls logo itself, not the wood grain, which is what PSA used for its provided photo matches.” The lawsuit 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 with” the 2001-02 through 2005-06 seasons.It is evident that authenticity is everything in the collector community. Collectors like Logan deserve, and are entitled to, proof of authenticity that withstands scrutiny and addresses the obvious gaps and inconsistencies.
Josh Bernstein
