Former Augusta National employee pleads guilty for stealing Arnold Palmer green jacket, millions of dollars’ worth Masters memorabilia

Georgia resident Richard Globensky recently pleaded guilty to stealing items from Augusta National, including Arnold Palmer's prestigious green jacket. According to NBC News, he was a warehouse assistant at the prestigious Augusta National Golf Club, which is the home of the renowned Masters event.

From 2009 to 2022, Richard Globensky reportedly stole several items from the venue and sold them online. According to the prosecutors, the theft cost the club over $3 million, while Richard Globensky earned roughly $5 million.

Richard Globensky has now pleaded guilty to the same and has been ordered to pay $1.5 million to the government. He also faces a 10-year prison sentence but is likely to be reduced to two years under federal guidelines.

According to the aforementioned media outlet, the stolen items include green jackets, which are given to the winners of the Masters, along with chairs, Masters tickets from the 1930s, mugs, and T-shirts. One of the jackets stolen by Richard belonged to the legendary golfer Arnold Palmer. Besides him, reportedly, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen's jackets were also stolen by him.

Although Richard Globensky did not comment on the matter, his attorney, Thomas Church, claimed that some stolen items were recovered.

However, this is not the only case surrounding the missing Masters' jacket. In 2017, a green jacket was sold at auction for $139,000. The jacket was found in a thrift store in Canada, with a price tag of $5 at a Goodwill store in Toronto.

It was purchased by a Canadian journalist who was seemingly aware of its worth and sold it to a golf journalist in the United Kingdom. Later, it was auctioned and sold for millions of dollars. However, the mystery behind the jacket remained unsolved as no one knows whose jacket it was or how it ended up in the thrift store in Canada.

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Significance of the Masters green jacket

The Masters is one of the most prestigious golf events, which usually takes place at Augusta National. The winners of the tournament are awarded green jackets, a tradition that began in 1949 when Sam Snead earned the first green jacket. The green jackets, made of Pantone 342 shade, also known as Masters Green, are given to the winners by the previous year's champion.

The Masters began in 1934, with Horton Smith winning the tournament. Arnold Palmer won the Masters four times in his career: in 1958, 1960, 1962, and 1964. Jack Nicklaus holds the record for winning the Major the most number of times, clinching it six times in his career. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods won it five times. The 2024 edition of the Masters concluded in April, with Scottie Scheffler winning the event for the second time.