Ex-Heat Security Worker Charged With Selling $2M In Stolen Memorabilia

Marcos Thomas Perez, a 25-year retired veteran of the City of Miami Police Department, is accused of stealing millions of dollars’ worth of Miami Heat game-worn jerseys and other memorabilia that were later sold to online brokers, according to a press release issued Tuesday by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ).

United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office made the official announcement.

Marcos Thomas Perez Worked Security For Miami Heat

Perez, 62, made his initial appearance in federal court Tuesday “on a one-count information charging him with transporting and transferring stolen goods in interstate commerce,” the press release said.

In addition to being a retired veteran of the City of Miami Police Department, Perez was employed as a security officer with the Heat from 2016 until 2021 and also worked as an NBA security employee from 2022 until 2025.

According to the DOJ’s press release:

“During his tenure, Perez worked on the game-day security detail at the Kaseya Center, where he was among a limited number of trusted individuals with access to a secured equipment room. This equipment room stored hundreds of game-worn jerseys and other memorabilia that the organization intended to display in a future Miami Heat museum.

“During his employment, Perez accessed the equipment room multiple times to steal over 400 game-worn jerseys and other items, which he then sold to various online marketplaces. Over a three-year period, Perez sold over 100 stolen items for approximately $2 million and shipped them across state lines, often for prices well below their market value. As an example, Perez sold a game-worn LeBron James Miami Heat NBA Finals jersey for approximately $100,000. That same jersey later sold at a Sotheby’s auction for $3.7 million.”

Gear Worn By LeBron James, Shaquile O’Neal, Dwyane Wade

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Perez’s residence on April 3 and seized almost 300 additional stolen game-worn jerseys and memorabilia, per the press release.

Along with the LeBron James memorabilia, the stolen items include game-worn gear from other high-profile players such as Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade.

Per Anthony Chiang and Charles Rabin of the Miami Herald, Perez was hired by the City of Miami Police Department in November 1992 and retired in April 2016. After patrol, he worked several departments including Internal Affairs and Office of Emergency Management.

This is reportedly his first criminal investigation.

NBA insider and Meadowlark Media’s Amin Elhassan first reported the news of the FBI’s investigation on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz last week.