Trial delayed in Giants, Eli Manning memorabilia fraud case
HACKENSACK, N.J. — A trial has been delayed in a lawsuit accusing New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning of selling bogus “game-worn” equipment to unsuspecting collectors as part of a long-running scam.
Jury selection was to have begun this week, but a death in the family of one of the attorneys pushed that back to next Monday. The trial is expected to last about four weeks.
Barring a last-minute settlement, the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback could take the witness stand to defend himself against the explosive allegations. Manning and Giants co-owner John Mara are on a list of potential witnesses for the trial.
Manning and the team have denied the claims and have characterized lead plaintiff Eric Inselberg as a scam artist who sold fake memorabilia himself over a span of several years. Manning’s attorneys also have described Inselberg’s lawsuit as “inflammatory and baseless,” and they have accused Inselberg’s attorneys of using underhanded tactics to whip up a media frenzy against their client.