Former Mets clubhouse manager Charlie Samuels has been arrested. New York City prosecutors plan on charging the 54-year-old with criminal possession of stolen property and fraud.
Prosecutors waged a a lengthy investigation into stolen Mets sports memorabilia that included a team-autographed 1986 World Series warm-up jersey, according to The Associated Press.
Samuels was fired from the team in November after 27 years as a clubhouse manager. He was fired by the team amid allegations that he, according to the New York Daily News, “gambled with mobbed-up bookies, admitted to baseball officials that he bet on baseball, absconded with thousands of dollars worth of players’ memorabilia and made “loans” to himself from Mets accounts.”
Queens District Attorney Richard Brown told reporters that Samuels took more than $2.3 million worth of equipment during his two-plus decades witht eh team. Until his retirement, Samuels had planned to keep the gear as mementos.
Although he only earned about $80,000 a year from the Mets, his tax returns showed up to $700,000 in income, according to the New York Daily News. He has homes in Long Island and Florida.
A call to the Mets was not immediately returned. Samuels was awaiting arraignment.
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