Feds investigating case of stolen game-worn Heat gear from Kaseya Center worth ‘millions’
A federal investigation was launched in early 2024 regarding game-worn Miami Heat gear that was stolen from the team’s Kaseya Center facilities, mutliple sources confirmed to the Miami Herald.
The federal investigation began 18 months ago, with the stolen game-worn Heat memorabilia sold over a multiyear period, according to a source. The stolen items include game-worn gear from high-profile players such as LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade, among others.
Meadowlark Media’s Amin Elhassan first reported the news of the investigation on “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz” this week.
“There is another federal investigation going on right now about the sale of ill-gotten memorabilia,” Elhassan said on the show. “This one concerns memorabilia — authenticated memorabilia — stolen from the Miami Heat, and sold for many, many, many, many, many millions of dollars. Perhaps one of the largest heists of this kind.
“What red-flagged it within the memorabilia community is you never see people with this much stuff. You might get a game-worn jersey, but to get a game-worn full set? NBA Finals? For multiple players? As it was described to me, this is one of the largest, if not the largest, memorabilia heists in the history of this country in any sport.”
One suspect who has been identified through the ongoing investigation is a retired Miami police officer who went on to work for the NBA’s security division, according to a source. Another person of interest is an individual from California who might have purchased some of the stolen memorabilia and put it up for auction, the same source said.
A source also indicated that the investigation identified an Instagram account that might have been used to help facilitate the sale of some of the stolen memorabilia. That account has since been deleted.
The game-worn gear was being stored by the Heat as historical memorabilia that could have been used for the potential creation of a Heat Hall of Fame.
When asked for comment, a Heat spokesperson said: “We cannot comment on an ongoing investigation.”
The NBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
When asked for an incident report, a spokesperson from the Miami Police Department responded: “This is an FBI investigation.”
“The FBI does not confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation, except in rare circumstances where the public’s assistance is requested,” an FBI spokesperson said when contacted about the investigation.
The Heat, which is in the middle of its offseason, is scheduled to hold its annual media day on Sept. 29 before opening training camp on Sept. 30 to kick off the 2025-26 season.
Miami Herald Staff Writer David J. Neal contributed to this report.
This story was originally published July 31, 2025 at 3:49 PM.
