Richard “Brendan’ Globensky, the former Augusta National Golf Club employee accused of stealing millions of dollars’ worth of Masters Tournament merchandise and memorabilia, pleaded guilty and agreed to repay the club Wednesday in a Chicago federal court.
Globensky, 39, pleaded guilty to federal charges of transporting and transferring stolen goods – including three Green Jackets – in interstate commerce, according to a news release. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman set his sentencing for Oct. 29.
The Greenbrier High School graduate made more than $5.3 million selling the stolen goods and caused the club a $3.4 million loss, his plea agreement states. He agreed to pay the club restitution of $3.4 million, including a check for $1.6 million within seven days, as well as to forfeit a money judgment of $5.3 million to the government.
MORE: Ex-Augusta National Golf Club employee accused of stealing “millions” in merchandise
How did he do it?
Augusta National Golf Club, which seemingly screens all who enter its ultra-exclusive grounds, hired Globensky around 2007 as a warehouse assistant.
By at least 2009 and continuing through 2022, Globensky routinely stole merchandise from the club’s warehouse, where it stored the goods it has the exclusive right to sell, the plea agreement said.
In his position, Globensky oversaw the receipt and storage of merchandise, including Masters Tournament hats, shirts, watches, flags, mugs and other items. He was responsible for overseeing receipt and storage of the goods, as well as maintaining inventory records used to conduct a post-tournament audit, it said.
He began dealing with “Individual A,” who operated two businesses that sold and auctioned tournament merchandise, it said.
When Individual A began making requests for certain types of items. Globensky sent photos of what he could steal and then they negotiated a sales price, according to the plea agreement.
Steps to conceal
To take the items, Globensky simply loaded them on a truck and drove away. He took them to an Augusta storage unit, and the buyer either picked them up there or Globensky had them commercially shipped to another Florida business used to conceal the intended recipient, it said.
In addition to keeping the number of missing items below the club’s audit threshold, Globensky took other steps to conceal his thefts. He had Individual A issue payments to his wife, rather than himself, and created an LLC specifically to receive payment for the stolen goods, it said.
He also warned the vendor not to sell dated items until after the year’s tournament, when patrons could have lawfully purchased the items.
What did he steal?
In addition to regularly stealing “large quantities” of t-shirts, jackets, hats, flags, chairs, watches, mugs and other items, Globensky began stealing historical Masters Tournament memorabilia.
The historical items were being preserved and stored on the club grounds. Globensky sold them to Individual A, as well an associate of Individual A, Individual B, which sold or auctioned them.
The items included:
- Arnold Palmer’s Masters Tournament Green Jacket
- Ben Hogan’s Masters Tournament Green Jacket
- Gene Sarazen’s Masters Tournament Green Jacket
- Masters Tournament programs from 1934 and 1935
- An Augusta National clubhouse trophy
- Masters Tournament tickets from 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938 and 1939
- An Augusta National Golf Club pickard porcelain bowl
- Masters Tournament records from 1942
- A 2009 Masters commemorative putter
- Documents and letters written and signed by Bobby Jones
- An Augusta National stock book
- Augusta National unissued share of stock from 1932 and hand-signed by Fielding Wallace
- Various Masters Tournament and Augusta National members’ gifts from 1964-2007
Globensky, who had been working as a mortgage broker after leaving the club, and his wife built a home at the Reserve at Champions Retreat – the riverfront golf club designed by Palmer and Masters champions Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player – while he worked at Augusta National Golf Club. The couple sold the home for $2 million last year, and his wife recently filed for divorce.
The guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., special agent-in-charge of the Chicago FBI field office. Assistance was provided by the FBI’s Art Crime Team. At least one of the stolen items was purchased by a collector in Chicago.
