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Author
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Topic: Neil Armstrong's customs form stolen by worker
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-20-2010 07:14 PM
   
collectSPACE: Neil Armstrong's declaration form allegedly stolen by customs worker and friendA customs declaration form filled out by astronaut Neil Armstrong was allegedly stolen by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection worker and his friend, who together attempted to sell it at auction, announced federal prosecutors Tuesday on the 41st anniversary of the first moonwalker's historic "small step." If found guilty of stealing and conveying an official record of the United States, the two men could each face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the United States Attorney's Office. |
ejectr
Member Posts: 1751
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 07-21-2010 07:03 AM
This incident must give Armstrong even more fortitude in his mind that his autograph is nothing more to people today than a cash cow and fortifies even more that he will not ever sign again.This is the kind of help that true collectors didn't need. |
Scott
Member Posts: 3307
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2001
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posted 07-21-2010 09:12 AM
Here is a video report: Logan Employee Accused Of Stealing Famous Signature
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MrSpace86
Member Posts: 1618
From: Gardner, KS, USA
Registered: Feb 2003
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posted 07-21-2010 10:14 AM
I think that what these guys did with the form is outright mindless and highly unethical. They should get slapped down by the full weight of the federal law. I feel bad for Neil Armstrong in a way. |
kr4mula
Member Posts: 642
From: Cinci, OH
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 07-21-2010 11:03 AM
I have seen in very limited circumstances that he uses a different style of signature when signing official documents than when signing autographs. Perhaps he does it for just this reason - so the documents can't be exploited - or perhaps just because his signature is so famous that he might be concerned people will use it for identity-theft-type purposes. |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 07-21-2010 03:36 PM
It might indeed be that case as using a popular autograph in the same style you sign forms or write checks might be a bit dangerous these days with identity theft running rampant. As for the two guys, they should get prosecuted since they did a very stupid, illegal and greedy thing. |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 07-22-2010 02:22 PM
Neil has used that type of signature on official documents for at least 20 years...if not longer. There are several examples of that signature style out there. (The one on the customs form is a bit sloppy compared to most, however.) The more classic "Neil Atg" autograph style seems to be something he used mainly for souvenir autographs and for signing correspondance...not for legal documents. Even back in the 60s when Neil's "legal" signature and souvenir signature were closer in style, Neil appeared to take greater effort to spell out his last name in full...as you can see in the July 16, 1969 check written to Harold Collins. |
gliderpilotuk
Member Posts: 3398
From: London, UK
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 07-22-2010 03:24 PM
Doesn't anyone else find it vaguely worrying that the auction house didn't recognise the likely illegality of this on their own initiative or at least question the source for such a recent offical form? I questioned it as soon as I saw it listed and I'm not even a US citizen! |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-22-2010 03:51 PM
I don't know all the details but from what I have been able to discern there were concerns raised within the company. Separately though, the consignor -- who the federal complaint does not name but is said to be cooperating with authorities -- must have represented that he had the legal right to offer it for sale as the consignment agreement includes that as one of its conditions. By the way, I've just learned that WMUR9 New Hampshire has filed a news report that cites and shows collectSPACE.
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mmmoo
Member Posts: 551
From: London, England
Registered: May 2001
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posted 02-25-2011 04:54 AM
From the Boston Herald: Two men trying to land a big payday on the name of American hero Neil Armstrong were given probation yesterday by a judge who ruled they've suffered enough already."I think we have all done something in our lives we wish we could take back. I wish both of you well. I'm sorry it came to this," U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns told Thomas Chapman and Paul Brickman after sentencing each to two years' probation for trying to auction online a signed customs declaration Chapman stole from the notoriously autograph-shy Apollo 11 commander last March while employed as a U.S. Customs agent at Logan International Airport. Because Armstrong's identity wasn't stolen and Chapman's hijinks cost him a job he'd held for 20 years, assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Fisher told Stearns the feds weren't pressing for prison time for the lifelong friends. |
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