Another Little Rock resident admitted Wednesday to participating in a scheme through which former sports memorabilia dealer John Rogers of North Little Rock defrauded banks and investors out of about $25 million.
John Alexander McLean, 59, pleaded guilty in a Little Rock federal courtroom to a single count of wire fraud, admitting that from about June 2016 until about November 2017, he helped Rogers fabricate stories to tell prospective buyers about the items the men were trying to sell.
For example, according to McLean's plea agreement, he falsely told several buyers that his father had obtained memorabilia items from his connection with famous football coaches.
Last month, 44-year-old Amber Michelle Davis of Little Rock pleaded guilty in a Little Rock federal courtroom, also to a single count of wire fraud, admitting that she helped create and deliver 25-35 fake sports memorabilia items that Rogers and McLean sold to unsuspecting buyers.
Rogers, now 46, pleaded guilty on March 6, 2017, in federal court in Chicago to his role in the scheme that defrauded banks and investors out of close to $25 million. He was sentenced in December 2017 to 12 years in prison and was ordered to pay more than $23 million in restitution.
He had once owned the North Little Rock-based businesses Sports Card Plus and Rogers Photo Archive.
Both McLean and Davis pleaded guilty in open court, waiving the right to have their cases presented to a federal grand jury.
Davis pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge D. Price Marshall Jr., who has scheduled her sentencing hearing for March 5. McLean pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge James Moody Jr. His sentencing date hadn't been scheduled as of Wednesday evening.
According to their plea agreements, Davis' actions resulted in a loss of at least $60,700 to five victims, while McLean's actions amounted to a loss of $209,250 for nine people, five of whom are also identified as Davis' victims.
Some of the fake items McLean helped sell, according to court documents, were footballs, including two Super Bowl I footballs; basketballs; baseballs; trophies; travel trunks; autographed bats and photographs; a Rosary; a Bible; at least two briefcases associated with John F. Kennedy; ties reportedly worn by former U.S. President Bill Clinton; glassware reportedly associated with crime boss Al Capone; clothing reportedly worn by actress Marilyn Monroe; a Charles Conlon camera; and several movie prop guns.
McLean's wire fraud charge refers specifically to an Aug. 3, 2016, wire transfer of $9,000 from a Bank of America account belonging to Paragon Auctions to Davis' account at the Arkansas Federal Credit Union. Davis' wire fraud charge stems from the same transaction, although the guilty pleas of both defendants also encompass other related activities.
Metro on 10/03/2019