Former Augusta National Golf Club warehouse coordinator Richard Brendan Grobenski has been charged with transporting millions of dollars in stolen Masters memorabilia.
Grobenski, 39, allegedly carried out the scheme from 2009 to 2022, transporting stolen merchandise to Florida for resale.
He is scheduled to plead guilty on May 15, according to court documents. Quoted by the Chicago Tribune.
Grobenski is accused of stealing “millions of dollars worth of Masters Golf Tournament merchandise and historical memorabilia” from Augusta National, adding that “the same was stolen, tampered with and removed by fraud. He allegedly knowingly transported the stolen property to Tampa.
The indictment does not specify what memorabilia was stolen.
but, Darren Rovell reported in Cllct One of the items Grobenski allegedly stole was Arnold Palmer’s green jacket.
The Augusta member asked a broker known for finding rare memorabilia to help him find the jacket in order to return it to the famous golf club, according to the report.
The jacket was eventually found, and the buyer agreed to buy it last March for $3.6 million.
Once the deal was finalized at the seller’s home, the FBI “swarmed” the scene and “interrogated” the seller, the report said.
The jacket was eventually seized by federal authorities.
The Tribune cited real estate records showing the Grobenskis sold their sprawling home in Evans, Ga., for $2 million last year.
The home has six bedrooms, 7,300 square feet, and includes an in-ground pool and outdoor putting green.
He currently works as a mortgage broker.
Augusta National strictly protects its memorabilia, and the green jacket is never allowed to leave club grounds.
In 2017, Augusta National filed a lawsuit against a Florida company seeking to stop the sale of green jackets belonging to a former champion and two club members. According to the Associated Press.
