Marcos Thomas Perez, a 62-year-old former employee of the Miami Heat basketball club, made his initial appearance in federal court following accusations of stealing millions of dollars` worth of the team`s memorabilia and selling it to online brokers. Perez faces charges of transporting and transferring stolen goods across state lines.
Perez, a former City of Miami police officer, worked as a security officer for the Heat from 2016 to 2021 and subsequently for the NBA from 2022 to 2025. His position granted him privileged access to a secure equipment room within the Kaseya Center, enabling him to steal game-worn jerseys and other valuable items originally intended for a future team museum exhibit.
In total, Perez allegedly stole over 400 game-worn jerseys and sold more than 100 items, amounting to approximately $2 million. This included a game-worn LeBron James NBA Finals jersey, which Perez sold for about $100,000. The very same jersey later fetched $3.2 million at an auction held by Sotheby`s, a renowned broker of fine art and collectibles.
Law enforcement authorities executed a search warrant at Perez`s residence in April, seizing nearly 300 stolen jerseys and other memorabilia.
