Logan Paul Disputes Authenticity of Michael Jordan Item Acquired at Auction
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 questions 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 verify the authenticity of the floor before making the payment, which was originally due on September 25. Records indicate that Heritage Auctions informed Paul that he would lose his rights to the object if he did not meet the deadline. Paul’s winning bid for the collectible item was $562,555.42, including the buyer’s premium. Josh Bernstein, from the law firm Akerman LLP and legal representative of Paul, requested a temporary restraining order and a temporary injunction against Heritage Auctions. The restraining order was granted on Thursday morning, and a date was set for the hearing on the temporary injunction for October 9.Heritage Auctions promoted the floor as “the ultimate Michael Jordan display piece.” The item description detailed an 8-by-8-foot section of the “Original Game-Used Floor from the 1994-98 United Center.” It was signed by Jordan and included the inscriptions “Air Jordan”, “5X MVP”, “6X Finals MVP”, “10X Scoring Title”, and “HOF 2009”. Heritage’s description also noted a certificate of authenticity from Upper Deck Authentication, with whom Jordan has maintained an exclusive partnership for a long time, and third-party authentication from PSA/DNA and Beckett Authentication Services. A Heritage Auctions spokesperson stated that they did not believe Paul’s claim was justified, adding that the auction house had made concessions to Paul “to facilitate any in-person inspection and reasonable efforts for further review.”It is evident that 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 evident inconsistencies.
Josh Bernstein, Logan Paul’s lawyer
Paul’s lawsuit argues 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 indicates that the Bulls logo appears different than in photos from the 2001-05 seasons. Bernstein requested documentation from Heritage after Paul won the auction. In emails found in court records, Heritage’s sports auction director, Chris Ivy, acknowledged that there is “no documentation… that matches the floor with 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-matching certificate “claims to have matched the item with” the 2001-02 through 2005-06 seasons. Upper Deck, Beckett, and PSA could not be immediately reached for comment.We stand behind every item we sell. This lot would not have been included in the auction unless we were completely certain of its authenticity.
Statement from Heritage Auctions
