New twist in LeBron pendant case

New twist in LeBron pendant case
By Beacon Journal staff report

POSTED: 07:00 p.m. EDT, Jul 16, 2010

WADSWORTH: A woman who tried to sell a $10,000 pendant stolen from a LeBron James business partner is a suspect in the case, police said.
The white gold diamond-studded pendant is in the shape of James' basketball jersey. Maverick O. Carter, the CEO for James' marketing company, says it was stolen from him three years ago.
The police incident report obtained Friday identified Vaneisha Robinson, 19, of Akron, as a suspect in the receiving stolen property investigation but didn't elaborate. No immediate arrests were made and police didn't immediately return calls Friday.
Robinson declined comment to the Beacon Journal on Friday. Her attorney, Patrick Kramer, told WEWS-TV he doesn't believe Carter ever filed a police report or insurance claim on the pendant. Kramer will fight to get it back to Robinson.
''For police to call her a suspect is irresponsible,'' Kramer said. ''She's not a suspect. She bought it four years ago.''
Robinson, an amateur boxer, said she bought the pendant four years ago for $5 at a yard sale, recently got it appraised and put it for sale on eBay. She was on TV in Cleveland on Tuesday discussing her surprise at its value.
One day later, she received a call and was invited to the Carter house and was told James would be there to make a pendant offer she couldn't refuse.
But James wasn't there and a crowd of eight or nine people forced her to give up the pendant, she said. ''I was scared for my life,'' Robinson told WEWS.
''They pretty much accused me, they threatened me,'' Robinson said. ''They told us that we weren't going anywhere until they got that pendant.''
A woman called police about the commotion. In a call posted on WEWS, the caller told the 911 operator, ''She was pretty upset. I just kept walking just in case something was about to happen.''
Carter's mother, Katherine Powers, shares the home where the incident occurred with her son. A woman who answered the phone there Friday said Powers was not home and she did not return a call seeking comment.
Police Sgt. James Elchlinger said he was able to determine that the item was one-of-a-kind and belonged to Carter. Police were checking for a theft/loss report.
Carter, who wasn't home at the time of the incident Wednesday, cited the ongoing investigation and declined comment Friday through James' spokesman, Keith Estabrook. Also listed in the police report was Ernest ''Randy'' Mims, another close associate to James.
Last week, James upset many Cleveland fans with his decision to take advantage of his free-agent status to leave the Cavaliers and sign with the Miami Heat.


This undated photo provided by the International Gemological Institute shows both sides of a jeweled pendant made to resemble a Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James number 23 jersey. When Vaneisha Robinson bought the diamond studded pendant at a yard sale four years ago, she thought it was costume jewelry. But, after having it appraised, the pendant she paid $5 for four years ago is worth nearly $10,000. (AP Photo/HO, International Gemological Institute)
View larger version>> WADSWORTH: A woman who tried to sell a $10,000 pendant stolen from a LeBron James business partner is a suspect in the case, police said.

The white gold diamond-studded pendant is in the shape of James' basketball jersey. Maverick O. Carter, the CEO for James' marketing company, says it was stolen from him three years ago.

The police incident report obtained Friday identified Vaneisha Robinson, 19, of Akron, as a suspect in the receiving stolen property investigation but didn't elaborate. No immediate arrests were made and police didn't immediately return calls Friday.

Robinson declined comment to the Beacon Journal on Friday. Her attorney, Patrick Kramer, told WEWS-TV he doesn't believe Carter ever filed a police report or insurance claim on the pendant. Kramer will fight to get it back to Robinson.

''For police to call her a suspect is irresponsible,'' Kramer said. ''She's not a suspect. She bought it four years ago.''

Robinson, an amateur boxer, said she bought the pendant four years ago for $5 at a yard sale, recently got it appraised and put it for sale on eBay. She was on TV in Cleveland on Tuesday discussing her surprise at its value.

One day later, she received a call and was invited to the Carter house and was told James would be there to make a pendant offer she couldn't refuse.

But James wasn't there and a crowd of eight or nine people forced her to give up the pendant, she said. ''I was scared for my life,'' Robinson told WEWS.

''They pretty much accused me, they threatened me,'' Robinson said. ''They told us that we weren't going anywhere until they got that pendant.''

A woman called police about the commotion. In a call posted on WEWS, the caller told the 911 operator, ''She was pretty upset. I just kept walking just in case something was about to happen.''

Carter's mother, Katherine Powers, shares the home where the incident occurred with her son. A woman who answered the phone there Friday said Powers was not home and she did not return a call seeking comment.

Police Sgt. James Elchlinger said he was able to determine that the item was one-of-a-kind and belonged to Carter. Police were checking for a theft/loss report.

Carter, who wasn't home at the time of the incident Wednesday, cited the ongoing investigation and declined comment Friday through James' spokesman, Keith Estabrook. Also listed in the police report was Ernest ''Randy'' Mims, another close associate to James.

Last week, James upset many Cleveland fans with his decision to take advantage of his free-agent status to leave the Cavaliers and sign with the Miami Heat.