Man charged with trafficking stolen Masters golf memorabilia

A man has been charged with transporting millions of dollars worth of golf memorabilia for more than a decade in Georgia.

Richard Brendan Globensky allegedly transported stolen Masters golf tournament merchandise and memorabilia from the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, between 2009 and 2022, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Globensky allegedly moved goods from Georgia to Tampa, Florida, knowing their were stolen, officials said.

Upon conviction, Globensky would have to forfeit any property and cash attained from proceeds traced to the stolen items, the government said.

A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office told The Associated Press that he did not have any information on why the case was filed in Illinois.

The Associated Press was unable Wednesday to reach Globensky by phone using numbers listed in public records. Lawyer Tom Church, who’s listed in online court records as representing Globensky, did not immediately respond Wednesday to a voicemail and an email.

Augusta National is the home of the legendary Masters golf tournament, which was held over the weekend and won by Scottie Scheffler.

For many fans, the chance to buy exclusive merchandise that’s not officially sold online is a key part of the Masters experience. In recent years, gnome garden statues that debuted in 2016 have been a hot-ticket item. Even logo-etched cups — once emptied of beer or other drinks — are a prized souvenir fans pile up through the tournament.

Court records do not say whether Globensky worked for the golf club.