Former Heat Security Officer Arrested in Merchandise Scandal

A former Miami Heat security officer is facing federal charges after allegedly stealing and selling millions of dollars’ worth of team memorabilia, including a LeBron James Finals jersey that later sold for $3.7 million.

Federal officials say 62-year-old Marcos Thomas Perez took advantage of his role on the Heat’s game-day security detail, working from 2016 to 2021 at what’s now known as Kaseya Center. He later held a league-wide role with the NBA from 2022 to 2025.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida, Perez accessed a secured equipment room multiple times and helped himself to more than 400 game-worn jerseys and other collectibles.

The items had been earmarked for a future Heat museum. Instead, prosecutors say Perez sold over 100 of them to online brokers for around $2 million — often well below market value.

One of the headliners was a James NBA Finals jersey, which Perez allegedly sold for close to $100,000. It was later flipped at a Sotheby’s auction for $3.7 million.

In April, a federal search of Perez’s home turned up nearly 300 more pieces of stolen memorabilia. The Heat later confirmed those items had been taken from the arena.

Perez, a retired officer with the City of Miami Police Department, made his first appearance in federal court Tuesday. He’s charged with transporting and transferring stolen goods in interstate commerce.

The FBI’s Miami field office is leading the investigation. The Heat have declined to comment, citing the ongoing legal process.