Marcos Thomas Perez, age 62 and a former employee of the Miami Heat, appeared before a federal judge on Tuesday. He is accused of misappropriating a substantial amount of Miami Heat memorabilia, estimated to be worth millions of dollars, and subsequently selling it through online platforms, according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The charges against Perez include transporting and transferring illegally obtained goods across state lines.
Perez, previously a police officer for the City of Miami, was employed as a security officer by the Heat from 2016 to 2021. Later, from 2022 to 2025, he held a security position with the NBA. Due to his trusted position, Perez had authorization to access a secure storage room located within Kaseya Center. This access enabled him to pilfer game-worn jerseys and other valuable items that the Heat intended to exhibit in a forthcoming museum dedicated to the team’s history.
In total, Perez is accused of stealing upwards of 400 game-used jerseys and selling over 100 items with an approximate aggregate value of $2 million. This includes one specific LeBron James jersey worn during an NBA Finals game, which Perez allegedly sold for around $100,000. The same jersey was later sold for $3.2 million at an auction organized by Sotheby’s, a prominent global dealer in artwork, jewelry, and collectible objects.
Authorities managed to recover nearly 300 stolen jerseys, alongside other related memorabilia, when they executed a search warrant at Perez’s home in April.
