A Georgia man who was a warehouse assistant at the Augusta National Golf Club has admitted to stealing millions of dollars’ worth of Masters merchandise and memorabilia, including the Masters Green Jackets of legendary players Arnold Palmer and Ben Hogan. Richard Globensky, 39, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to transporting stolen goods across state lines.
In a plea agreement, Globensky said he repeatedly stole items like Masters shirts, hats, flags and watches while working at the golf club from 2009 to 2022 and sold the items to an online broker in Florida. As a warehouse assistant, Globensky oversaw the receipt and storage of Masters merchandise and maintained records used to conduct post-Masters merchandise audits.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says the Florida broker — who owned and operated two online businesses that sold and auctioned Masters Tournament merchandise and memorabilia — would request specific Masters items and Globensky would send photographs back to the broker. Globensky would then take the items to an offsite storage facility in Augusta where he would arrange with the broker how to transport the stolen merchandise to Florida.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Globensky sold the items to the broker for over $5 million. Globensky also sold the historically significant memorabilia to the broker and the broker’s associate for around $300,000.
Officials say the brokers then resold the stolen memorabilia and merchandise at a significant markup.
The Chicago Tribune reports Palmer’s stolen Green Jacket was from his first Masters win in 1958. A broker reportedly tried to sell the Green Jacket for $3.6 million.
The Masters’ Green Jackets are property of Augusta National and stored in the club’s Champions Locker Room. Masters winners can take their jackets from the grounds for only one year after they win the tournament, but must return it to Augusta National afterward.
On top of the Green Jackets, Globensky also took documents and letters written and signed by Bobby Jones. Other items Globensky stole include:
- Gene Sarazen’s Green Jacket
- Masters Tournament programs from 1934 and 1935
- Augusta National clubhouse trophy
- Masters Tournament tickets from 1934-1939
- Augusta National Golf Club pickard porcelain bowl
- Masters Tournament records from 1942
- 2009 Masters commemorative putter
- Augusta National stock book
- Augusta National unissued share of stock from 1932 signed by Fielding Wallace
- Various Masters Tournament and Augusta National members gifts from 1964-2007
Globensky faces up to ten years in federal prison. His sentencing date is scheduled for Oct. 29.