The case of Tom Brady’s missing Super Bowl jerseys was solved last month when authorities recovered them in Mexico in the possession of Martin Mauricio Ortega, the former director of the La Prensa tabloid in Mexico City.
As it turns out, Ortega was quite the jersey collector, and Sports Illustrated’s Robert Klemko and Jenny Vrentas did a deep dive into the steps that got Brady’s jerseys recovered.
Among the many things Klemko and Vrentas discovered was Ortega’s eBay history. And his most recent purchase was much more humble than the memorabilia he stole from Super Bowl XLIX and Super Bowl LI.
“Ortega maintained an eBay account, registered on Jan. 10, 2002,” Klemko and Vrentas wrote. “His username paid homage to the 15th-century Aztec ruler Moctezuma II. Through the online auction site, Ortega has bought at least 100 items. His most recent registered purchase: a game-used Mark Sanchez (New York) Jets jersey, for $405, last May.”
That’s right, sitting next to Brady’s famed Super Bowl jerseys in Ortega’s collection was a jersey worn by former first-round pick Mark Sanchez.
Ortega handed over the jerseys willingly in exchange for avoiding prosecution. His visa was revoked, and the NFL banned him from games for life.
But he’s still active on eBay, so if you’re selling a game-worn Geno Smith jersey, you might have a buyer.
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
