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A stunning betrayal has come to light in Miami. Former Heat security officer Marcos Tomas Perez, 62, admitted in court Tuesday that he stole and sold team memorabilia valued at nearly $2 million, per CNN. Federal prosecutors confirmed that Perez switched his plea to guilty, taking responsibility for a scheme that stretched across several years.
Perez worked with the franchise between 2016 and 2021 as part of the game-day security detail at Kaseya Center, then later joined the NBA in 2022. During that time, court documents reveal he slipped more than 400 jerseys and collectibles out of the team’s equipment room. He offloaded at least 100 items through online marketplaces, making around $1.9 million while severely undercutting their market value.
One glaring example stood out: Perez sold a LeBron James NBA Finals jersey for about $100,000, which later resold at Sotheby’s for a jaw-dropping $3.7 million. The deal highlighted just how much Perez’s actions shook collectors, the team, and the league.
A fall from trust
Law enforcement raided Perez’s home on April 3 and found nearly 300 more stolen jerseys and items, all confirmed by the Heat to have been taken from their facility. Perez, who once served 25 years as a Miami police officer, now faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine when sentenced on October 31.
His lawyer, Robert Buschel, described Perez as remorseful but battling the weight of his choices. “He’s depressed, naturally, but he accepts responsibility for his behavior,” Buschel told reporters. He later added that Perez’s history as a respected officer would be considered during sentencing, stressing this was “an unfortunate set of decisions” that ended a long career in public service.
The case was announced by U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones and FBI Miami Special Agent Brett D. Skiles. Investigators from the FBI, USPIS Miami, and the Miami Police Department were all involved in untangling the scheme.
Perez’s guilty plea closes one chapter in a scandal that blindsided a storied franchise, leaving the Heat with questions about how someone entrusted with protection turned into the source of such a staggering theft.
