According to federal prosecutors, the two men falsified the values of trading cards and defrauded people of $2 million.
SEATTLE — Two Washington state men have been arrested on suspicion of defrauding customers out of more than $2 million by selling counterfeit sports cards and Pokémon trading cards, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Anthony Curcio, a 43-year-old man from Redmond, and Iosif Bondarchuk, a 37-year-old man from Lake Stevens, were indicted on charges of wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy.
“As alleged, Anthony Curcio and Iosif Bondarchuk carried out a brazen, nationwide fraud scheme to defraud purchasers and the marketplace using valuable sports cards and Pokémon trading cards, ultimately defrauding more than $2 million through fraudulent and attempted sales,” U.S. Attorney Damien Williams said.
The two allegedly hatched a scheme to misrepresent the actual value of sports and Pokémon trading cards to trick buyers and marketplaces into purchasing them at falsely inflated prices. They reportedly sold the cards in person, at card shows, and online.
Trading cards are graded based on condition and authenticity, with the higher the grade, the more valuable it is.
Authorities say the pair used fake presentations and inflated prices to sell professional sports and Pokémon trading cards to people across the country beginning in 2022. Prosecutors estimate the total value of their sales and attempted sales was more than $2 million.
In July 2023, an undercover agent purchased a “fraudulently misrepresented” 1999 Pokémon Venusaur card for $10,500. Bondarchuk had previously attempted to sell the card on an online marketplace, according to the Department of Justice. Curcio mailed the card to the undercover agent, and the payment was deposited into a bank account controlled by Curcio.
Curcio and Bondarchuk were arraigned Thursday and are scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate judge in the Western District of Washington.
“For more than two years, Anthony Curcio and Joe Bondarchuk allegedly caused losses of more than $2 million by manipulating commercial trading cards and assigning them false validity grades in order to fraudulently inflate retail prices above their actual market value,” FBI Deputy Director James Smith said. “Not only has this alleged scheme tarnished the reputation of a reputable appraisal firm, but the defendants' alleged conduct also betrayed the trust and wallets of avid collectors.”
