Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Batman, cgc, Comics, dc, dc comics, entertainment, heritage

Batman #1 Embezzler Sentenced To Forty Years

Published Wed, 07 May 2014 13:00:58 -0500

Last year, Bleeding Cool reported on the story behind a Batman #1 selling for over half a million. The previous owner was

alleged embezzler Anthony Chiofalo, who stands accused of appropriating some $9 million dollars from Tadano America Corp. He allegedly used some of those funds to buy high-end collectibles, including comics…. Several other of the recovered comics in question (including an Action Comics #1 CGC 3.0 that just hammered for $388,375) are selling at Heritage Auctions… Amazingly, the drama didn't end with Chiofalo's arrest and the recovery of the comics. Subsequently, an investigator working for Harris County, TX –where the case is being prosecuted — was himself arrested for allegedly taking some of the comics involved in the Chiofalo case from storage and offering them to dealers at Wizard World Chicago last year, and ultimately selling them there. Dealers who bought the comics became suspicious after their research uncovered the recent sales history of many of the comics, and made inquiries with Heritage who in turn contacted authorities.

Well we can now lose the "alleged" at the top of the article. Local paper, the Chron reports.

The embezzler at the center of an investigation that brought down two Harris County DA investigators and saw one indicted for stealing thousands of dollars worth of rare comic books was sentenced Monday to 40 years in prison after admitting his crime.

Anthony Chiofalo, a disbarred attorney who was charged with stealing $9 million from his employer from 2010 to 2012, pleaded guilty to theft of more than $200,000, a first-degree felony. He was sentenced by visiting judge James Anderson…

Prosecutors believe Chiofalo, 52, bought valuable comic books, collectibles and sports memorabilia with money he embezzled from Tadano America Corp., which makes large cranes.

Hundreds of items, including a first-edition Batman comic book worth about $900,000 and a baseball helmet signed by Pete Rose, were seized when Chiofalo was arrested.

Photoi by Karen Warren on the Chron.

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