A man who illegally obtained Super Bowl rings following the New England Patriots' 2017 victory was sentenced to three years in prison on Monday, the Department of Justice said.
According to the DOJ, Scott Spina posed as a former player of the New England Patriots, which allowed him to purchase family versions of the Super Bowl championship ring. He then turned around and sold one of the rings for $337,000.
The DOJ said that he purchased a championship ring from a player, which is how he was able to receive information on how to purchase rings intended for friends and family. These rings, the DOJ said, are slightly smaller than the ones awarded to players.
He was also ordered to pay $63,000 in restitution to an unidentified New England Patriots player.
“Spina then called the Ring Company, fraudulently identified himself as [the former player], and started ordering three family and friend Super Bowl LI rings with the name ‘Brady’ engraved on each one, which he falsely represented were gifts for the baby of quarterback Tom Brady,” according to court documents. “The rings were at no time authorized by Tom Brady. Defendant Spina intended to obtain the three rings by fraud and to sell them at a substantial profit.”
