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Police are seeking fraud experiences with Larry Allred and Robert Smyrak

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Police are seeking fraud experiences with Larry Allred and Robert Smyrak
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yenne

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As many of you have read, these two Californians were recently charged with manufacturing and importing a large number of counterfeit Disney pins. A version of the story can be found here:

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?se...nty&id=8127760

The case number is 11NF1191, and the defendants have pleaded Not Guilty. The investigation is being handled by the DHS/ICE (Department of Homeland Security / Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

I've been in contact with the agent working the case, and any information about bad pin trades with these individuals could help. Please feel free to use this thread or PM me if you'd like to stay private. If your information is helpful, an agent may wish to interview you. I know that several complaints have been made through the Pin Pics Complaint system, and I suspect (based on conversations with moderators) that there may be more.

Trades with these individuals would likely have been to Walnut, California 91789.

The agent has asked that we aggregate our information through me or the boards rather than have a bunch of people call him directly (limited resources and all).

Thanks for passing the word, and let's hope that this case will help deter the scrapper and counterfeit markets in the future!
 
This guy traded at the park and also at PTN's. He was even at the most recent one too.
I am sure I must have traded with him but would not for the life of me know what pin and I dint think I would have traded for a scrapper because I dont really collect HM's but then again, plenty of rack and other pins are scrapped too.

There has to be a lot of people who have traded with him.
 
Are your sources interested in other fraudulent Ebay sellers? There's one in either KY or TN who states that he is a "Good Christian" on his ads, so I took the plunge. Needless to say, 90% were counterfeits. He did refund my money, but not my postage.

He has over 1000 transactions on Ebay.
 
If you look at the feedback looks like he is guilty of helping a few of the scrappers getting on the cast member lanyards as well.
 
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jjgasman said:
Are your sources interested in other fraudulent Ebay sellers?
Click to expand...
I can ask him the next time we chat -- I don't know what level of evidence is necessary to start a case.

So far nobody has come forward with any information.
 
yenne said:
So far nobody has come forward with any information.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't "pin launderers". They take the bad pins, tradethe them to lanyards for good pins and then just keep trading up. So, they could have been selling or trading legit pins to people but getting them illegally. Hopefully the investigators will learn the ins and outs of lanyard trading so that they can see that is a possibility.
 
What I have read, they sold some through Craigs List or ad in a newspaper. I think they avoided the pin community who know the difference. I know when I first started, I bought lots off eBay and traded away. I never even knew about scrappers (I do now), but the people they sold to could be newbies who didn't know any better. Every day we add new members and everyone has been wonderful in helping out traders new to this hobby and they may have scrappers in their collection. I guess what I am trying to say is, they probably sold to naive people and people who lack morals and those two gentlemen could even be members here, but they wouldn't risk having their reputations tarnished here.
 
jjgasman said:
Are your sources interested in other fraudulent Ebay sellers? There's one in either KY or TN who states that he is a "Good Christian" on his ads, so I took the plunge. Needless to say, 90% were counterfeits. He did refund my money, but not my postage.

He has over 1000 transactions on Ebay.
Click to expand...

That dude boned me too, actually, in younger naive days.

-JD
 
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Robert Edward Smyrak and Larry James Allred

I've known these two nearly all their lives. I can provide a wealth of information if law enforcement would like to speak with me in person. I can be reached through the email provided to this site. My best of wishes to their victims. ("Larry James Allred" is an alias and not his true name.)
 
Can someone please PM me with the name of the eBay seller so I can add them to my "bad seller" list. Thanks.
 
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