Eli Manning emails submitted to a New Jersey court this week could implicate the New York Giants quarterback in an alleged scam to sell phony memorabilia, but attorneys for the Giants are defending Manning.
Collectors Eric Inselberg, Michael Jakab and Sean Godown filed a lawsuit in 2014, claiming that Manning, a team equipment manager and others knowingly provided memorabilia falsely passed off as having been worn in an NFL game, ESPN reported.
According to court documents obtained by the New York Post this week, Manning sent an email to equipment manager Joe Skiba in April 2010 that read, "Two helmets that can pass as game used. That is it. Eli."
About 20 minutes later, Manning allegedly wrote an email to his marketing agent, Alan Zucker, who asked for the helmets, saying, "Should be able to get them for tomorrow," the Post reported.
Manning has a contract with memorabilia dealer Steiner Sports, the Post noted, and court documents claim the emails prove "Manning was looking to give non-game-used helmets to Steiner to satisfy — fraudulently — his contractual obligation."
Giants lawyers said the email was "taken out of context," Fox Sports reported.
"This email, taken out of context, was shared with the media by an unscrupulous memorabilia dealer and his counsel who for years has been seeking to leverage a big payday," the lawyers said in a statement, according to the network.
"The email predates any litigation, and there was no legal obligation to store it on the Giants server," they added. "Eli Manning is well known for his integrity and this is just the latest misguided attempt to defame his character."
Brandon Jacobs, a former running back for the Giants and ex-teammate of Manning’s, came to the quarterback’s defense in a post on Instagram, saying Manning doesn't have a "bad bone in his body" and is "as wholesome as they come," New Jersey Online reported.
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