UNITED STATES NEWS

Arrests made in thefts of Yogi Berra’s World Series rings, Warhol and Pollock art

Jun 15, 2023, 11:04 AM | Updated: 12:03 pm

Federal authorities announced charges against a ring of nine people for thefts of millions of dollars worth of paintings, sports memorabilia and other valuables including an Yogi Berra.

The thefts took place over more than two decades at 20 different museums and institutions across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and North Dakota, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said Thursday.

Investigators believe some of the sports memorabilia had been melted down, including nine of Berra’s 10 World Series rings, U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam said at a news conference.

It was unclear which items would be returned to their owners or to the museums, but authorities said some of those valuables had been recovered.

Eight of the nine people named as part of the theft ring Thursday have turned themselves in, Karam said. At least five had already entered into preliminary plea agreements on charges including theft of major artwork and conspiracy to dispose of major objects of cultural heritage, according to court records. The suspects are in their late 40s to early 50s and are Pennsylvania residents.

Phone messages were left Thursday for attorneys listed in court documents as representing those eight suspects.

Karam said the ninth suspect, 53-year-old Nicholas Dombek, is considered a fugitive.

The indictments allege the thieves transported the memorabilia and valuables and would melt the gold items down into transportable discs that were sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars — but for way less than many of the items were worth.

Court documents also allege that Dombeck destroyed a painting by Jasper Cropsey by burning it, to avoid the stolen artwork titled “Upper Hudson” from being used as evidence against him.

Some of the thefts happened nearly 20 years ago including the 2005 theft from the Everhart Museum in Scranton, where the thieves shattered a glass door in the back of the building. They stole a 1949 oil-on-canvas painting by Jackson Pollock, “Springs Winter,” then worth an estimated $11.6 million and a silkscreen by Andy Warhol titled “Le Grande Passion” then worth an estimated $15,000.

Karam provided few details of how investigators from the FBI to local police departments cracked the case, saying only that evidence uncovered recently unraveled the ring’s activities.

“About three years ago, a forensic link at one of the theft sites discovered by a local police agency led us to forensic evidence that linked several of these thefts,” he said.

Details of the stolen items included:

— A baseball jersey from New York Giants pitcher and Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson, as well as two contracts he had signed that were on display at Keystone College.

— Nine World Series rings, seven other rings and two MVP plaques belonging to Yogi Berra, including the rings believed to be melted down and destroyed.

— A Hickok Belt — solid gold and encrusted in jewels — and MVP plaque from the Roger Maris Museum in Fargo, North Dakota. Maris won two MVP awards, including when he passed Babe Ruth’s single-season record with 61 home runs in 1961 for the Yankees.

— A Hickok Belt and U.S. Amateur Trophy awarded to Ben Hogan, from the USGA Golf Museum and Library. Hogan, a nine-time major champion, is one of the greatest and most influential golfers in the sport’s history.

— Twelve trophies awarded to golfing great Art Wall Jr. that had been on display at the Country Club of Scranton, Pennsylvania, believed to have been melted down and destroyed.

— $300,000 worth of trophies from the National Harness Racing Museum in Goshen, New York.

— An 1836 Colt Paterson revolver and two other guns from the Space Farms Zoo and Museum in Wantage, New Jersey.

Other thefts prosecutors connect to the charges released Thursday occurred at the Boxing Hall of Fame, the Sterling Hills Mining Museum, Ringwood Manor and other facilities. Other stolen items included gold nuggets, gems, paintings, firearms, historical objects and sports prizes.

United States News

The OnlyFans logo is seen on a computer monitor in this posed photo, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, in St....

Associated Press

Teachers have been outed for moonlighting in adult content. Do they have legal recourse?

At a small rural Missouri high school, two English teachers shared a secret: Both were posting adult content on OnlyFans, the subscription-based website known for sexually explicit content. The site and others like it provide an opportunity for those willing to dabble in pornography to earn extra money — sometimes lots of it. The money […]

2 hours ago

A gray wolf is seen in a trail camera image on the Sherman Creek Ranch, March 26, 2023, near Walden...

Associated Press

Embattled wolves gain a new frontier in Democratic Colorado. The move is stoking political tensions

DENVER, Colo. (AP) — Wildlife officials plan to release gray wolves in Colorado in coming weeks, at the behest of urban voters and to the dismay of rural residents who don’t want the predators but have waning influence in the Democratic-led state. The most ambitious wolf reintroduction effort in the U.S. in almost three decades […]

2 hours ago

FILE - President Joe Biden speaks about investment in rail projects, including high-speed electric ...

Associated Press

Biden heads to Philadelphia for firefighters and fundraising

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will join Philadelphia firefighters on Monday to announce federal funding that will reopen three fire companies, according to the White House. The companies — Engine 6, Ladder 1 and Ladder 11 — were decommissioned during the Great Recession. Union leaders have said the cutbacks hampered the city’s response to […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Stock market today: Asian shares mixed after Wall Street hits 2023 high

Asian shares were mixed on Monday after Wall Street reached a 20-month high ahead of a week that includes essential U.S. inflation data and the Federal Reserve’s final rate decision of the year. U.S. futures were lower and oil prices rose to recover some of their sharp losses in recent months. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng […]

3 hours ago

FILE - Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., speaks to media about Israel, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, on Cap...

Associated Press

New US aid for Ukraine by year-end seems increasingly out of reach as GOP ties it to border security

A deal to provide further U.S. assistance to Ukraine by year-end appears to be increasingly out of reach for President Joe Biden.

5 hours ago

Associated Press

Downpours, high winds prompt weather warnings in Northeast

NEW YORK (AP) — Parts of the northeast were bracing for a stormy night Sunday, with high winds and heavy rains bringing threats of flooding and power outages through the Monday morning commute. Flood watches were in effect in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and southern New England through Monday. The National Weather Service said […]

8 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

(KTAR News Graphic)...

KTAR launches online holiday auction benefitting Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley

KTAR is teaming up with The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley for a holiday auction benefitting thousands of Valley kids.

Follow @KTAR923...

The 2023 Diamondbacks are a good example to count on the underdog

The Arizona Diamondbacks made the World Series as a surprise. That they made the playoffs at all, got past the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card round, swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS and won two road games in Philadelphia to close out a full seven-game NLCS went against every expectation. Now, […]

Follow @KTAR923...

West Hunsaker at Morris Hall supports Make-A-Wish Foundation in Arizona

KTAR's Community Spotlight this month focuses on Morris Hall and its commitment to supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Arizona.

Arrests made in thefts of Yogi Berra’s World Series rings, Warhol and Pollock art