Ex-Heat Security Insider Exposed: Shocking Confession Reveals Underground Sports Memorabilia Heist

Here’s a twisty tale from the heart of Miami’s basketball scene that’s hard to swallow — a former security guru for the Heat, Marcos Thomas Perez, found himself caught up in a storm of stolen memorabilia and jaw-dropping transactions. Imagine a retired cop, trusted with guarding prized possessions worth millions, quietly slipping over 400 game-worn jerseys and other cherished items out the door. Why? To line his pockets by hawking these treasures on the sly, often at prices that seem like pennies for priceless history. It’s wild to think a jersey worn by LeBron James during the NBA Finals changed hands for a sticker price of 0,000 — only to later flip for a staggering .7 million at Sotheby’s. There’s something almost Shakespearean here: trust, betrayal, and the high stakes of the sports memorabilia underworld all colliding in Miami’s bright heat. Trust me, this story digs far beyond the surface, showing a mix of greed, opportunity, and how a legend’s relic can spark such a fierce chase. LEARN MORE

Over a three-year period, authorities say Perez sold more than 100 stolen items for approximately about .9 million and shipped them across state lines, often at bargain prices. They say he sold a Miami Heat jersey LeBron James wore during the NBA Finals for approximately 0,000. That same jersey later sold at a Sotheby’s auction for .7 million.Marcos Thomas Perez, 62, was a 25-year retired veteran of the Miami Police Department. The Miami resident worked for the Heat from 2016 to 2021 and as an NBA security employee from 2022 to 2025.According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and FBI Miami, Perez stole more than 400 jerseys and other items from a secured equipment room and sold items through various online marketplaces. He had access because he worked on the game-day security detail at the Kaseya Center. He was one of a few employees with access to a secured equipment room that stored memorabilia the Heat organization planned to display in a future team museum.MIAMI (AP) — A former Miami Heat security officer pleaded guilty Tuesday to transporting and transferring millions of dollars worth of stolen game-worn jerseys and other memorabilia.