A legal case has rocked the NBA after a former Miami Heat employee was accused of stealing and reselling more than 400 game-worn jerseys—many of them highly valuable both historically and financially. The accused, Marcos Thomas Pérez, 62, appeared Tuesday before a district court in Florida after being linked to a scheme involving the theft and online sale of official team memorabilia.

From Guarding History… to Profiting from It

According to information released by the Southern District of Florida’s Attorney’s Office, Pérez worked as a security agent for the Miami Heat between 2016 and 2021. He later served as an NBA security coordinator for games held in Miami. Throughout both roles, he had access to a private storage area where the team kept game-worn jerseys and other memorabilia intended for a future museum exhibit.

During his time in these roles, the accused allegedly took advantage of his privileged access to discreetly steal over 400 jerseys—many of which were used in key matchups—as well as other valuable items tied to the team’s history.

Investigators claim that between 2017 and 2020 alone, Pérez sold more than 100 stolen items for an estimated two million dollars, using middlemen to distribute the goods and shipping them to various U.S. states.

One of the most shocking incidents mentioned by prosecutors involves a jersey worn by LeBron James during the NBA Finals, which Pérez initially sold for $100,000. That same jersey was later auctioned at Sotheby’s for a staggering $3.7 million.

This scandal is not only a blow to the reputation of the Miami franchise but also raises serious questions about internal security protocols across NBA teams—particularly in terms of preserving historical assets.

Now, the courts must determine Marcos Thomas Pérez’s level of responsibility in one of the most eye-catching theft cases in recent U.S. professional sports history.