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A former employee of the prestigious Augusta National Golf Club, Richard Brendan Globensky, has pleaded guilty to stealing and selling valuable memorabilia and merchandise, including documents signed by club founder Bobby Jones and Green Jackets from golf legends like Arnold Palmer.

Richard Brendan Globensky, 39, from Augusta, Georgia, appeared in U.S. District Court in Chicago where he confessed to a series of thefts involving historic memorabilia and extensive amounts of Masters Tournament merchandise. According to court documents, Globensky admitted to stealing and illegally selling items such as hats, shirts, flags, watches, and chairs, all of which were intended for public sale at the club.

Over the course of his employment as a warehouse assistant from 2009 to 2022, Globensky orchestrated the sale of these items, channeling them through an online seller based in Florida. He accumulated about $5.3 million from selling the merchandise and nearly $300,000 from the memorabilia, which included highly prized Green Jackets awarded to golf champions Arnold Palmer, Gene Sarazen, and Ben Hogan.

The plea agreement details that Globensky sold these stolen items to a broker and the broker's associate, who then sold them at substantial markups. The FBI became involved when one of the stolen items, Arnold Palmer's 1958 Masters Green Jacket, resurfaced. A collector in Chicago had purchased the jacket and attempted to sell it, leading to an FBI intervention after the collector contacted them through a broker.

Historically, Green Jackets are awarded to Masters winners and remain the property of Augusta National. They can be worn by the champions on club premises during subsequent Masters tournaments but must be stored at the club's Champions Locker Room thereafter. The disappearance of Palmer’s jacket during a 2012 renovation sparked a lengthy investigation by Augusta National, which ultimately failed to locate the missing jacket.

Additionally, Globensky admitted to stealing other historic artifacts from the club, including early Masters Tournament programs and tickets from the 1930s, and an unissued share of Augusta National stock from 1932.

As part of his plea agreement, Globensky has agreed to assist the government in its ongoing investigation and has been ordered to repay $1.5 million for the stolen items within the next week. His sentencing is scheduled for October 29.