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The Mark Sabia deception

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Carlkolchak, Dec 10, 2020.

  1. Carlkolchak

    Carlkolchak Member

    Anyone remember Mark Sabia's fake media affiliation supposedly with "Westchester Cable" which got him media credentials into all the big NYC team games for about a decade. He supposedly filmed sound bites with post game interviews in locker rooms which were supposedly distributed to various network newscasts. But it all unraveled when he got caught somehow, can't remember how, and he disappeared from the scene. It was a great heist that he pulled off. Even got extra credentials for camera men and interns which he allegedly got payment for, from people who wanted to get the inside view. Mark was not a bad guy, just I guess couldn't get a real job and found a way to be a part of the thrilling NYC sports scene. The story would make a very interesting 3030 documentary which would probably never happen but it would be interesting. Definitely one of the great scams pulled off by a fake news media pioneer )
     
    Carlkolchak, Dec 10, 2020
    #1
  2. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    I believe we had a thread on here when he was arrested. I am actually curious about how it resolved itself. My only memory is that at the time he had a lawyer and was going to fight the charges. They were charging him with a handful of fraud-related things, and the really sticky one was that they were alleging that he was selling his transferable credential to people who would carry his camera around.

    I remember the guy. Wore ugly shirts and had a big yellow microphone. Was always followed by a camera, which made him seem legit. At least nobody ever seemed to question his presence. I once asking him where his stuff aired and he said something about clips being syndicated to small stations. It was typical press room / press box stuff. Everyone was sort of focused on their own thing, so even though you saw the guy a lot and knew him, maybe even exchanged a few words with him occasionally, I am sure that to most people he was just another of the odd press box characters who are always around.

    I am really curious now. I haven't thought about that guy in at about 15 years. Does anyone know what happened with the charges he was facing?
     
    The Big Ragu, Dec 12, 2020
    #2
    Carlkolchak likes this.
  3. Carlkolchak

    Carlkolchak Member

    He's vanished. One reporter on facebook said he revived communications although brief with Mark but then he said he vanished again. Sabia was an enigma and now looking back, a fascinating character to have pulled off the heist he did for so many years. Still remember him at every Giants and Jets game, eating a plate stacked with bacon, just bacon, no eggs lol. Also he wore an NBC jacket. He had a good personality, but as the years went on, his spirit and enthusiasm seemed to sour. You sensed something was being hidden. The scam blew when an NBC back up anchor/reporter botched his camer and suddenly needed some help. He asked Mark to film for him and it was discovered innocently that Mark did not even have a video cassette tape in his cam corder. That was the first whisper that Sabia was a fake news fraud. I don't remember exactly how much longer later he was exposed, maybe a few months or a year. It was a good scam but he had to know his days were numbered. No idea how the case turned out, or what he's doing now. Or how his heart survived all those giant plates of bacon every Sunday.
     
    Carlkolchak, Dec 12, 2020
    #3
    Adam94 likes this.
  4. wicked

    wicked Well-Known Member

    Judging by this story from a few months after he was arrested, he still didn't get it.

    MEDIA, SPORTS BUSINESS AND THE FAN

     
    wicked, Dec 12, 2020
    #4
    Carlkolchak likes this.
  5. Carlkolchak

    Carlkolchak Member

    Everybody deserves a second chance. Everybody loves a good comeback story.
     
    Carlkolchak, Dec 12, 2020
    #5
  6. Hooray4snail

    Hooray4snail Active Member

    Holy cow. Thought the name sounded familiar when I saw the thread topic. Can't forget that microphone with the bright yellow windscreen ...
     
    Hooray4snail, Dec 12, 2020
    #6
  7. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    In my motorsports days there sure seemed to be a lot of these types of guys, collecting sound bites on tape and noshing free lunches with no sign of the work actually going anywhere. But they'd get credentials because if tracks cut all those pretenders out, especially in more recent years, the media centers would be all but empty and that looks bad when sponsors come walking through.
     
    playthrough, Dec 12, 2020
    #7
  8. Carlkolchak

    Carlkolchak Member

    You would not forget the full plates of bacon at 1 o clock Jets and Giants home games either!
     
    Carlkolchak, Dec 13, 2020
    #8
    Hooray4snail likes this.
  9. Vombatus

    Vombatus Well-Known Member

    A Queens court record search might turn up something.
     
    Vombatus, Dec 13, 2020
    #9
  10. Vombatus

    Vombatus Well-Known Member

    And did he ever interview John Spano?
     
    Vombatus, Dec 13, 2020
    #10
    Liut and Baron Scicluna like this.
  11. 2muchcoffeeman

    2muchcoffeeman Well-Known Member

    Part of this is the Internet era, when you don’t even need a printing press or production staff to have a niche publication.
     
    2muchcoffeeman, Dec 13, 2020
    #11
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