Buyer says controversial Travis Kelce jersey didn't pass an authenticity test

Concern about some big tickets items sold at a Guelph, Ont., charity auction last month hasn’t died down.

The one that got the most attention – a Kansas City Chiefs jersey, which was advertised as signed by star player Travis Kelce and his pop star girlfriend Taylor Swift.

The person who won that jersey reached out to CTV News after seeing previous coverage with experts questioning its authenticity.

Despite the fact the jersey came with a certificate of authenticity, she requested further verification.

The answer she got – wasn’t what she was hoping for.

Up for auction

The jersey, which was advertised with the star-studded signatures, boosted the profile and value of the Linamar Curling for Kids event in support of the Guelph Wish Fund – a charity that grants “wishes” to children suffering from serious illnesses and injuries in the City of Guelph and Wellington County.

“With what’s going on, and all the hoopla in the media, this was the perfect prize,” Dave Kavanagh, the charity’s employee campaign chair, previously told CTV News.

The #87 jersey ultimately sold for $21,000.

Authenticity concerns

The auction sparked questions about the authenticity of the item and the signatures.

The buyer contacted CTV News after seeing our story about those concerns.

CTV News has decided not to identify her as she expressed that she donates for many reasons but not for recognition or the spotlight.

The buyer, through a series of email exchanges, explained that she never would have bid on the jersey if it wasn’t authentic.

“To think someone would chance tainting donations, or an event, that raises funds and awareness for a children’s wish fund makes me nauseous,” she wrote.

Getting a second opinion

The jersey came with a certificate of authenticity that, as the label read, came from Jerzey Sports Memorabilia.

Scott Johnston, who gave the jersey and other items to the auction, told CTV News he runs that business.

The auction winner said she wanted to verify the jersey for herself so got a second opinion from Beckett Authentication Services, a reputable authentication service based in the U.S.

“[The jersey], of course, didn’t pass,” the buyer told CTV News.

She then received a text from someone who didn’t identify the organization they were with, saying that if she wasn’t happy with the purchase she could return the jersey and get a refund.

The buyer said she accepted that offer and the cheque cleared on Tuesday.

Search for answers

CTV News reached out to Scott Johnston of Jerzey Sports Memorabilia again to give him a chance to respond to the allegations.

Johnston ignored multiple requests for an interview but continued to respond to emails from CTV News.

Some of messages were signed by a person named Brett Gallagher, who identified as Johnston’s lawyer.

However, CTV News was unable to find a lawyer with that name registered with the Law Society of Ontario.

A search of Jerzey Sports Memorabilia also turned up no official website.

Johnston responded to questions about Jerzey Sports’ Authentication process through email.

“Please include the part that IT IS OUR OPINION,” he wrote.

Scott Johnston seen in a video promoting items being auctioned off for Guelph charities. (Source: Linamar)

He was also asked about the jersey not passing Beckett Authentication Services qualifications.

“Forget about the bullshit about Beckett and KSA,” he said. “I can prove that both are form letters and are money makers.”

Johnston added that Jerzey Sports Memorabilia authenticates “the same as everyone else” and, in his view, the signatures look the same as others that appear on Google searches and authenticated samples.

Responses from Linamar and the charity

CTV News also reached out to Linamar, who hosted the charity auction.

A statement from the company’s vice-president of global human resources, Roxanne Rose, said: “The whole situation is unfortunate given all efforts were to help children through this charitable initiative. We hope that any concerns have been settled and we can refocus on those children again.”

Whether the promised money reached the charities is unclear.

The Guelph Wish Fund also shared a statement with CTV News.

“We haven’t yet received our donation cheque from the Curling for Kids Bonspiel event organizers as they are working on collecting and finalizing the donations raised from the event,” wrote executive director Jessica Hill.

She added that the charity is grateful for the event organizers and their support.

The Guelph Police Service said they have not received any formal complaints about the matter.

CTV News also reached out to the Kansas City Chiefs to weigh in but we did not hear back by our deadline.