The Lincolnshire Police Department has confirmed that Lloyd Morris, of Deerfield, Illinois, and Marco Maggiore, of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, were arrested on November 23, 2009 and charged with money laundering, computer fraud, mail fraud and theft tied to the sale of Titleist Pro V1 Golf Balls.
According to an official with the Lincolnshire Police Department, these two individuals allegedly took advantage of the popularity of Titleist Pro V1 golf balls in a scam that resulted in at least 88 victims and over $400,000 in damages, and additional charges may be forthcoming. Morris and Maggiore were held at the Lake County Jail with bonds set at $200,000 and $100,000, respectively.
Acushnet Co., the parent of Titleist, FootJoy and Cobra, put out a press release regarding the investigation.
Under the business names Iconic Concepts and Bellamax, Morris and Maggiore allegedly sent numerous email blasts to businesses and consumers offering logoed Pro V1 golf balls at extremely low prices. They then allegedly accepted numerous orders, including payment in advance for the orders, but did not deliver golf balls. In addition to accepting payment for orders that they never filled, they also allegedly placed several orders with golf shops, took possession of the golf balls, and then never paid for the product.
“Acushnet Company would like to express its thanks to the Lincolnshire Police Department for their efforts in this case,” said Joe Nauman, Executive Vice President, Corporate and Legal. “We place a high priority on cooperating with law enforcement to help protect consumers and our business partners from this type of illegal activity.”
“This is an unfortunate situation in which innocent people, including charities, corporations, promotional product distributors and golf professionals, fell victim to the deceit,” continued Nauman. “Unfortunately, in this case, the offers were too good to be true. We are an industry leader in protecting our brands, partners and consumers, and we will continue to be diligent in seeking the arrest and prosecution of those who attempt to damage them.”
