Seller of LeBron pendant is suspect

July 17, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Associated Press

WADSWORTH, Ohio

A woman who tried to sell a $10,000 pendant stolen from a LeBron James business partner is a suspect in the case, police said.

The police incident report obtained Friday identified Vaneisha Robinson, 19, of Akron, as a suspect in the receiving-stolen- property investigation but didn’t elaborate. No immediate arrests were made, and police didn’t immediately return calls Friday.

The white gold diamond-studded pendant is in the shape of James’ basketball jersey. Maverick O. Carter, the CEO for James’ marketing company, says it was stolen from him three years ago.

Robinson, an amateur boxer, said she bought it four years ago for $5 at a yard sale, recently got it appraised and put it for sale on eBay. She was on TV in Cleveland on Tuesday discussing her surprise at its value.

One day later, she received a call and was invited to the Carter house and was told James would be there to make a pendant offer she couldn’t refuse.

But James wasn’t there , and a crowd of eight or nine people forced her to give up the pendant, she said. “I was scared for my life,” Robinson told WEWS-TV.

“They pretty much accused me, they threatened me,” Robinson said. “They told us that we weren’t going anywhere until they got that pendant.”

A woman called police about the commotion. In a call posted on WEWS-TV, the caller told the 911 operator, “She was pretty upset. I just kept walking just in case something was about to happen.”

Police Sgt. James Elchlinger said he was able to determine that the item was one-of-a-kind and belonged to Carter. Police were checking for a theft/loss report.

Robinson has an unlisted phone and could not be reached for comment Friday on the initial findings by police in Wadsworth, located west of Akron and about 30 miles south of Cleveland.

Carter, who wasn’t home at the time of the incident Wednesday, cited the ongoing investigation and declined comment.

Friday through James’ spokesman, Keith Estabrook.

Last week, James upset many Cleveland fans with his decision to take advantage of his free-agent status to leave the Cavaliers and sign with the Miami Heat.