U.S. Marshals Auction Off Forfeited Bling

Published on 03/08/09

An 8.45 carat diamond embedded in a gold ring: $34,000. A golden Medusa-engraved goblet: $10,500. The possibility that you could own a gangster's Rolex? Priceless.

Well, not entirely. The U.S. Marshals Service national forfeited jewelry auction happens every four months in a different city, and it arrived in Austin for the first time Saturday. Among the attendees were two businessmen, Alan Richardson and Scott Garber, who were also the most enthusiastic bidders.

The Austin auction was second of its kind in Texas — about 2,000 people attended a March auction of seized goods in Dallas, which raised $3.1 million, said Cynthia Bridges, a spokeswoman with the Marshals Service.

Dozens sat in the Governor's Room at the Hilton Austin on Saturday morning, clutching coffee cups and assessing the 386 lots.

Saturday's auction was expected to fetch $2 million for the U.S. Marshals' asset forfeiture program.

The most expensive items listed in the catalog were a stainless steel Joe Rodeo watch with 20 carats of diamonds in the face and another 252 diamonds in the gold band. Next to it was a white gold bracelet set with 250 round brilliant-cut diamonds. Both the watch and the bracelet were valued at $35,000.