John & Kamala Slight; Escondido, CA; Ebay: sundiegocollectibles, WIWAG, CARD DOCTORS

[corndog]

John R. Slight (61) and Kamala Sara Slight (58)
Residence: Escondido, CA
Dealer Name: Sun Diego Collectibles, Inc.
Ebay selling ID: sundiegocollectibles (VCP masked ID is t***c) Link: https://www.ebay.com/sch/sundiegocol...?_trksid=p3692
Previous Ebay ID used by John Slight: wiwag (When It Was A Game)

Ebay feedback received as a seller: over 31,500+
Ebay feedback received as a buyer: 30,600+

John and Kamala Slight have been prolific submitters of cards to PSA for years. The majority of the sales on Ebay by sundiegocollectibles are and were cards that were sent to be graded by PSA by either the Slights, the Slights using an alias, or an agent. The Ebay ID of sundiegocollectibles was created in 1999. John Slight along with Craig Kreider were co-owners of the infamous When It Was A Game, Inc. (WIWAG), which began in 1998 and ended in 2003. Both men were charged with and plead guilty to mail fraud involving the selling of fraudulent cards online. Hobby veterans will be able to better describe what transpired during the WIWAG/PSA scandal. I do not know what plea bargains were arranged nor for how long.
Kamala Slight is named as the CEO of Sun Diego Collectibles, Inc. with no mention of her husband John Slight. Kamala Slight's name is included in the thread title due to her being the listed CEO. Whether she has any knowledge of John's involvement in her company selling altered cards is unknown.
The FBI has already been involved with a successful ruling against John Slight and would probably be interested in knowing that he is involved in the altering and fraudulent selling of graded altered cards.

An observation on my part is that Slight has successfully remained under the radar for years by choosing to deal in mid grade level cards of star players and still maintain decent profits when sold. A good baseball analogy would be that he chose to hit singles rather than swing for home runs. Much of what he sells would not raise a flag as being altered. I have also observed many cards that were left as is and included in with altered cards submitted to be graded. That was a good strategy to use since a large portion of cards sold appear to have not been altered and are mid grade. These cards may only generate a little profit, but still a profit. I have also found that the majority of his purchases are of raw cards which is very time consuming to trace. Some of the cards that I was able to track down were not trimmed but were cleaned up by removing ink spots or scuff marks that occured during printing.
I have no idea how many altered cards that he has sold since a good percentage are not. As is the case of other card alterers, the fact that he has been outed as being involved in card doctoring should make one have reasonable doubts on anything previously sold by or currently for sale by sundiegocollectibles.

January 17, 2003 news release regarding When It Was A Game, Inc. (WIWAG)

January 17, 2003

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
San Diego, California

United States Attorney
Carol C. Lam


For Further Information, Contact: Assistant U. S. Attorney Melanie K. Pierson
(619) 557-5685

For Immediate Release

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY

United States Attorney Carol C. Lam announced today that a local firm and its
officers plead guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Louisa S. Porter to
the felony charge of mail fraud in connection with the sale of fraudulent
sports cards. The firm, When It Was A Game, Inc. ("WIWAG"), has offices in San
Diego, California, and from 1998 to the present was engaged in the business of
buying and selling both graded and ungraded sports cards. Co-defendants John
Slight and Craig Kreider are the co-owners of the company.

The quality of a sports card can be graded by an independent grading company on
a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest quality. A card that is graded as
a 10 is typically sold for over twice as much as a card graded as a 9. When an
independent grading company assesses a sports card, it assigns a grade to the
card and seals the card and a label indicating the grade, in a plexiglass case,
called a "slab". The seal on the slab is intended to be permanent.

In connection with their guilty pleas, the defendants admitted that they would
sometimes remove cards that had been graded as 10 or 9 from the slab and
replace them with lower quality cards. The lower quality cards would then be
sold by the defendants in the slabs which bore the label falsely stating the
higher grade. The defendants intended to deceive buyers into believing that the
lower quality cards were actually of higher grade, thereby fraudulently
inflating their value.

Specifically, the defendants further acknowledged that on August 21, 2002, they
submitted an Upper Deck SP Authentic Series sports card of Bonzi Wells to an
independent grader. The card was marked by Upper Deck as card number 0946 of
3500 cards produced. This card was graded as a "10", placed in a slab bearing
certification number 40077235, and returned to the defendants on September 11,
2002. Thereafter, on September 22, 2002, a Bonzi Wells card, bearing
certificate number 40077235 from the independent grading company and allegedly
graded as a "10" was sold by the defendants to an individual in Spring, Texas.
However, the card that was in the slab when purchased by that individual was a
lower quality card, number 0594 of 3500.

The next appearance date for the defendants is June 25, 2003, at 8:30 a.m.
before United States District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz for acceptance of the
plea and sentencing.

DEFENDANTS

When It Was A Game, Inc.
San Diego, California
Incorporated in California, 1998

John Slight
San Diego, California

Craig Kreider
San Diego, California

SUMMARY OF CHARGE

Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341
Maximum Penalty (for individuals): 5 yrs. in custody and/or $250,000 fine
Maximum Penalty (for corporation): $1 million fine

AGENCY

Federal Bureau of Investigation



The Slight's Online Store:



_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Altered Cards
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PSA Cert #45070584

PSA Set Registry: none

1966 Topps Mickey Mantle #50

Value gain of $1,199.86

This card was purchased by VCP masked buyer ID t***c (John and Kamala Slight) from Ebay seller bbcardstor as a PSA 6 for $349.99 on November 21, 2018.
VCP link: https://vintagecardprices.com/card/b...=&limit=999999



Same card was sold by Ebay seller sundiegocollectibles (John and Kamala Slight) as a PSA 8 for $1,549.85 on November 28, 2019.
VCP link: https://vintagecardprices.com/card/b...0/167960/PSA/8



Yellow circles are print, fiber, or chipping identifiers.
Red boxes identify trimmed bottom and right edges.







_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PSA Cert #43340218

PSA Set Registry: none

1959 Topps Roberto Clemente #478

Value gain of $272.15

This card was purchased by VCP masked buyer ID t***c (John and Kamala Slight) from Ebay seller mitchellscards as a PSA 6 for $135.00 on March 02, 2019.
VCP link: https://vintagecardprices.com/card/b...=&limit=999999

Same card was sold by Ebay seller sundiegocollectibles (John and Kamala Slight) as a PSA 8 for $407.15 on August 08, 2019.
VCP link: https://vintagecardprices.com/card/b...=&limit=999999

Yellow circles are print, fiber, or chipping identifiers.
Red box identifies trimmed left edge.









_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PSA Cert #25738017

PSA Set Registry: none

1960 Topps Roberto Clemente #326

Value gain of $600.75

This card was purchased by VCP masked buyer ID t***c (John and Kamala Slight) from Ebay seller jamieslim2 as a PSA 6 for $105.80 on February 21, 2016.
VCP link: https://vintagecardprices.com/card/b...=&limit=999999

Same card was sold by Ebay seller sundiegocollectibles (John and Kamala Slight) as a PSA 8 for $706.55 on May 26, 2016.
VCP link: https://vintagecardprices.com/card/b...=&limit=999999

Yellow circles are print, fiber, or chipping identifiers.
Red box identifies trimmed left edge.






_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PSA Cert #28326028

PSA Set Registry: none

1966 Topps Jim Palmer #126

Value gain of $57.91

This card was purchased by VCP masked buyer ID t***c (John and Kamala Slight) from Ebay seller purdysstuffofhistory as a PSA 6 for $42.89 on August 30, 2017.
VCP link: https://vintagecardprices.com/card/b...=&limit=999999

Same card was sold by Ebay seller sundiegocollectibles (John and Kamala Slight) as a PSA 7 for $100.80 on December 22, 2017.
VCP link: https://vintagecardprices.com/card/b...=&limit=999999

Yellow circles are print, fiber, or chipping identifiers.
Red box identifies trimmed top edge.

[mjohnatgt]

Great finds. Man, those corners were crushed before being cut off.

[HarryLime]

If there's one thing the FBI L-O-V-E-S, it's when you go right back to doing the thing they busted you for in the first place. Dumbass.

Arthur

[steadned36]

Disgusting.

Great work as always.

They are terrible - the trims on the Clementes really look like non-machined cuts.

Buyer beware - Use your eyes & gourd.

[ThoseBackPages]

Greed sucks

[rcmb3220]

Originally Posted by HarryLime

If there's one thing the FBI L-O-V-E-S, it's when you go right back to doing the thing they busted you for in the first place. Dumbass.

Arthur

Yes, this might make their ears perk up.

[psd2k10]

This one hits home a bit harder because these clowns live close by. also is very disturbing because they are messing with mid grade stuff. Very disheartening to know you cant even trust mid grade stuff now. what a disgrace of a couple. shameful to say the least.

[gradedeflator]

Why can’t people be ethical?????? They’re taking all the fun out of this hobby

[Lonewolf]

Man, I would feel so slighted if I had purchased cards from this couple

[dodgerfanjohn]

Originally Posted by gradedeflator

Why can’t people be ethical?????? They’re taking all the fun out of this hobby

Because they are loser $@&&8!* who can’t earn money honestly?

Seriously they are both old as $&&$ and still lie cheat and steal.

Oh and dudes wife has a serious horsey issue going on.

[pip]

Originally Posted by HarryLime

If there's one thing the FBI L-O-V-E-S, it's when you go right back to doing the thing they busted you for in the first place. Dumbass.

Arthur

Agreed. This could prove to be that much more serious, given Slight's prior criminal actions with WIWAG.

[pip]

Specifically, the defendants further acknowledged that on August 21, 2002, they
submitted an Upper Deck SP Authentic Series sports card of Bonzi Wells to an
independent grader. The card was marked by Upper Deck as card number 0946 of
3500 cards produced. This card was graded as a "10", placed in a slab bearing
certification number 40077235, and returned to the defendants on September 11,
2002. Thereafter, on September 22, 2002, a Bonzi Wells card, bearing
certificate number 40077235 from the independent grading company and allegedly
graded as a "10" was sold by the defendants to an individual in Spring, Texas.
However, the card that was in the slab when purchased by that individual was a
lower quality card, number 0594 of 3500.

Paul Moss was the buyer. One wonders if WIWAG wouldn't still be trimming and slabbing if they hadn't made this "mistake."

Here's a thought-provoking question: is it possible that Sundiegocollectibles is still grading its own cards and is simply picking up where WIWAG left off? I have heard that some in the hobby (outside of PSA) still have unused PSA slabs (visual proof DOES exist).

[pip]

Hobby veterans will be able to better describe what transpired during the WIWAG/PSA scandal.

Little is officially known due to PSA's moratorium on the truth.

What we DO know through hobby channels is that WIWAG acquired a large quantity of unused PSA holders and purchased the same type of ultrasonic welding machine used by PSA. They then would continually resubmit certain cards to obtain multiple PSA labels, after which they proceeded to grade and slab their own cards. It is unknown if they ever tried to print labels from scratch. Based on the large quantities of raw cards that WIWAG scooped up at shows during that time, I would estimate the number of fradulently graded cards ran into the thousands. PSA never formally issued a list. The irony, of course, is that there probably aren't many differences between a WIWAG graded card--at least those that are still in circulation--and a PSA graded card, given all the recent BODA evidence.

PSA's official statement: https://www.psacard.com/articles/art...d-fraud-update

Statement from Dan Markel on CU forums:

I just got off the phone with Assistant U. S. Attorney Melanie K. Pierson. Here is what I found out.

The hearing for sentencing was held on September 22nd in San Diego. Defendants John Slight and Craig Kreider of When It Was A Game, Inc. pled guilty to mail fraud and both were given probation. Kreider and Slight were fined $3,000 each and the corporation of When It Was A Game, Inc. also was fined $6,000.

Also, they are still legally obligated to make full restitution for any fraudulent cards that still exist. They are obligated to give full restitution through 2005.

Link: https://forums.collectors.com/discus...wag-sentencing

[signed79]

Originally Posted by dodgerfanjohn

Oh and dudes wife has a serious horsey issue going on.

Show some class.

[chezball]

Amazing work, I wouldn't know where to start.

[BBases31]

Great work as usual. Appreciated

[corndog]

PSA Cert #28589815

PSA Set Registry: none

1966 Topps Willie Mays #1

Value gain of $77.40

This card was purchased by VCP masked buyer ID t***c (John and Kamala Slight) from Ebay seller robkas68 as a PSA 5 for $99.00 on November 11, 2017.
VCP link: https://vintagecardprices.com/card/b...=&limit=999999

Same card was sold by Ebay seller sundiegocollectibles (John and Kamala Slight) as a PSA 6 for $176.40 on February 27, 2018.
VCP link: https://vintagecardprices.com/card/b...=&limit=999999

Yellow circles are print, fiber, or chipping identifiers.
Red boxes identify trimmed top and left edges.

[corndog]

***In all of the research that I have done in the past, very seldom have I ventured into 1970's cards. I am sure it's not clean either.

PSA Cert #43566033

PSA Set Registry: private

1976 Topps Pete Rose #240

Value gain of $420.01

This card was purchased by VCP masked buyer ID t***c (John and Kamala Slight) from Ebay seller ug62106 as a PSA 6 for $20.00 on January 31, 2018.
VCP link: https://vintagecardprices.com/card/b...=&limit=999999

Same card was sold by Ebay seller sundiegocollectibles (John and Kamala Slight) as a PSA 9 for $440.01 on May 30, 2019.
VCP link: https://vintagecardprices.com/card/b...0/140631/PSA/9

Yellow circles are print, fiber, or chipping identifiers.
Red boxes identify trimmed left edge and excess ink spots (from offset) removed.

[chezball]

Someone send them this link and tell them they'd been BODA'd.

[vwnut13]

"Few bad actors."

[auburn35]

Nice work, corndog.

Curious how similar the WIWAG probation was to this mail fraud sentencing, which also ended up with only probation and restitution.

"makes his living selling cards on eBay and has agreed to allow him to continue under the supervision of federal probation officers."

https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.co...ts-sentencing/

Similar to John Slight, it didn't take the other convicted felon much time to return to their illegal behavior. I really hope the government has realized probation doesn't work with these cases.
https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.co...ement-lawsuit/

[swabie2424]

I have never bought from them thankfully. But I have looked at their cards on eBay a bunch of times as a mid-level vintage collector and watched some of their cards . Needless to say I have removed them and added them to my 100% avoid list. Thanks for the info BODA.

The endless stream of greedy and dishonest profit mongers continues.

Will we ever get to a place where eBay takes action and bans all these people for life and some folks go to jail???? It can’t happen fast enough.

[seanbros55]

Here’s a picture of us in front of some dirt and an irrigation pond...

[PNWcollect]

Yikes. They've bought a few raw cards from me recently. I just went back through my eBay sales... one was for a Hank Aaron with a surface wrinkle and the other was for a Sandy Koufax that I disclosed was MINSIZEREQ. Thankfully there is not much they can alter with those but I don't want my cards being in the hands of people with their history... so they've now been banned from my listings.

[mjohnatgt]

Originally Posted by PNWcollect

Yikes. They've bought a few raw cards from me recently. I just went back through my eBay sales... one was for a Hank Aaron with a surface wrinkle and the other was for a Sandy Koufax that I disclosed was MINSIZEREQ. Thankfully there is not much they can alter with those but I don't want my cards being in the hands of people with their history... so they've now been banned from my listings.

Steaming, then pressing the cards would likely solve some of those issues, depending on the card stock. Or the MinSizReq could just be resubmitted repeatedly until PSA gives it a grade.