The Jesse Jackson Jr. Memorabilia Auction Is Officially Kaput

Former Illinois Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife, Sandra, arrive at federal court in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013, to learn their fates when a federal judge sentences the one-time power couple for misusing... Former Illinois Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife, Sandra, arrive at federal court in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013, to learn their fates when a federal judge sentences the one-time power couple for misusing $750,000 in campaign money on everything from a gold-plated Rolex watch and mink capes to vacations and mounted elk heads. MORE LESS
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It’s official: the government won’t be selling the memorabilia items seized during the corruption case against former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL).

The U.S. Marshals Service put a dozen items from the case up for auction online in September, including furs, capes, and a number of items purportedly autographed by Bruce Lee and Michael Jackson. But the sale was abruptly cancelled a few days later, with the Marshals Service citing “legitimate concerns about the authenticity” of at least one of the items. (TPM sent the Marshals Service specific questions about items two days before the cancellation.) At the time, the Marshals Service said it would “review” all of the items.

In a federal court document filed jointly on Friday by prosecutors and Jackson’s lawyers, the parties informed the court that none of the items will be sold after all.

“Pursuant to the plea agreement in this case, items seized from the defendant were to be sold at auction by the United States Marshals Service, and the net proceeds of the sale were to be credited towards the defendant’s money judgment,” the document reads. “However, because of concerns about the authenticity of some of the items seized, the auction was canceled. The parties agree that none of the items seized will be sold, and the defendant will not receive credit towards his forfeiture money judgment for any of the seized items.”

The same court document indicates that Jackson has agreed to sell his Washington, D.C. house to help settle the $750,000 he has to pay as part of the plea agreement he entered into in February. Jackson has also agreed to pay the government $200,000 of the $750,000 by Nov. 1. 

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