Tom Brady Man Impersonates Patriots Player ... Ruse To Sell Brady SB Rings
The feds say a New Jersey man copped to impersonating a New England Patriots player as part of an elaborate scheme to obtain and sell Super Bowl rings engraved with Tom Brady's name.
Federal prosecutors say the man behind the scheme is 24-year-old Scott Spina ... and he's struck a deal with the authorities, pleading guilty to 5 felony charges.
The feds say Spina started cooking up the scheme way back in 2017, when he bought a Super Bowl 51 ring off a Patriots player with at least one bad check, then sold the ring for $63,000 to a California broker specializing in championship rings.
Prosecutors say Spina not only got the ring off the player but also received other information allowing him to pose as the player, allowing him to purchase similar (but slightly smaller) rings designated for players' families from the company who made the SB rings.
Posing as the former Patriots player -- identified only as J.T. in court docs -- prosecutors say Spina started ordering 3 "family and friend" Super Bowl LI rings with the name "Brady" engraved on each one, which he falsely claimed were gifts for TB12's baby.
The feds say the real Tom never authorized the rings ... and Spina plotted to flip them for a fat payday.
According to prosecutors, Spina hammered out a deal with the Cali ring broker to sell him the 3 engraved Brady rings for $81,500 ... but the broker got cold feet and backed out the same day Spina got the rings in hand, with the buyer questioning the story Spina was spinning.
The feds say Spina pivoted and sold the engraved Brady rings to an auction house for $100k ... and months later one of those rings sold at auction for $337,219.
Prosecutors say Spina admitted to defrauding the ring broker by telling him the rings "were ordered for Tom Brady directly ... for select family members" and copped to posing as the former Pats player to buy the engraved rings.
The feds say Spina agreed to plead guilty to the 5 felony charges against him -- 3 counts of wire fraud, and 1 count each of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft -- and he's facing up to 92 years in federal prison.
As part of the plea deal, prosecutors say Spina agreed to pay back the former Pats player who sold him his Super Bowl ring and other memorabilia.
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Lil Durk Mid-Concert Engagement!!! India Says Yes in Chi-Town
Lil Durk's finally locking it down with his longtime GF, and he definitely put the pressure on when he popped the question ... in front of a packed arena in their hometown of Chicago.
Durk performed Saturday night at a local radio station's Big Jam concert at the United Center, and at one point he brought India Royale out on stage with him ... and then did it all traditional, getting down on one knee.
LD first buttered her up ... thanking India for holding him down and being "the realest," and then said, "Do you wanna be my wife?"
Before India -- an IG model and influencer -- could even answer, the crowd erupted with cheers -- makes sense, they're both from Chicago ... so, you know they had tons of support onstage and off of it. India did eventually say yes.
The couple got together back in 2017, and had a baby girl, Willow Banks, back in November 2018. India has a cosmetics line called India Royale Beauty, which Durk often promotes ... sometimes in his songs.
They've been through a lot together -- besides parenthood, Durk and India were the victims, back in July, of a home invasion and aggravated assault in Georgia.
Good times ahead, though -- now, they've got a wedding to plan. Gotta wonder if Durk's new collab partner, Morgan Wallen, will make the cut for the guest list ... or maybe even perform. Although, "Broadway Girls" is hardly first dance material.
Either way, congrats to happy couple!!!
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Jake Paul Cops Insane $225k Diamond Chain ... 'Problem Child!!!'
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Jake Paul is lettin' it be known he has no issue with being the "Problem Child" -- 'cause he turned his nickname into an insane diamond chain -- that's worth $225,000!!!
The YouTuber debuted the ice at his pre-fight event with Tyron Woodley on Thursday in Tampa, Fla. -- and TMZ Sports has learned it's an absolutely gaudy piece.
We're told Paul hit up his old pals at BlueMoon and Co. in Los Angeles to put the bling together ... and they pulled out all the stops for it.
In addition to the words "Prblm Child" written in diamonds on the front of the pendant ... the ice also has his full name inscribed on the back. There's also a spinning star on top.
We're told the chain is infused with 95 carats of VS quality diamonds and 14k of gold -- and in total it weighs a pound (545 grams)!
The whole thing is handmade by the company ... and we're told it's all valued at $225K.
Of course, the bling wasn't the only thing screamin' money during Paul's presser with Woodley -- JP also had a Most Valuable Boxer belt with him, which he says is worth $500K!
So, yeah ... whether he wins or loses tonight on the scorecard, Jake is still definitely winning.
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Trae Young Proposes To GF With Massive Ring ... 'Forever Young'
Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young is crushing it on AND off the court -- the baller proposed to his college sweetheart, Shelby Miller ... and she said "YES!!"
The couple announced the engagement on social media in a romantic post on Thursday ... with Trae saying, "What a night💫#FutureMrsYoung💍."
In the pics, you can see Trae got down on one knee to pop the big question ... and let's just say the dude lived up to his nickname, "Ice Trae" ... 'cause that ring is HUGE!!!
Miller was visibly happy about it all, as the two hugged and embraced. She also commented on Trae's post ... saying, "Forever Young."
Young and Miller have been together since 2017 ... so news of the engagement isn't too much of a surprise.
The lovebirds met in college at the University of Oklahoma -- as it turns out, Miller was a member of the Sooners cheerleading squad, while Young was lighting it up on the court.
23-year-old Young has been ballin' this season as well, putting up MVP-like numbers ... so yeah, he's winning all around.
Congrats!!!
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Jake Paul I'm The 'Most Valuable Boxer!!!' Gets $500k Belt W/ Rolex, Birkin Bag Attached
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Jake Paul just got an incredibly expensive early Christmas gift -- a $500k championship belt decked out with a Rolex, Cartier watch and a Birkin bag attached to it!!!
The Problem Child showed off the "Most Valuable Boxer" belt at his presser with Tyron Woodley on Thursday -- saying it's a one-of-a-kind and designed by artist Alec Monopoly.
It came out lookin' like money -- literally -- the thing has two wildly valuable watches sewn into the strap of the belt on one side.
The Hermes Birkin bag -- which comes with a starting price of around $40k -- is stitched in on the other strap.
Altogether, Jake says the piece cost $500k.
"Thanks to the kind-hearted CEO of @mostvaluablepromotions for the belt," Paul said, "It’s hand-painted by one of the greatest artists of our generation."
There's more -- Jake and Tyron went at it at the presser Thursday ... with the YouTube superstar coming close to saying he was going to eat Woodley's ass.
The UFC champ added he's gonna earn the $500k knockout bonus in the fight ... and then invest it all into cryptocurrency.
Jake -- and his belt -- will be facing off against Woodley on Saturday.
Can't wait.
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Steph Curry Gifts Rolexes To Draymond And AI ... After Breaking Record
Steph Curry's not only the greatest 3-point shooter of all time, he's an incredible teammate too ... 'cause he gifted Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala Rolexes after he broke Ray Allen's record Tuesday.
The Warriors star handed over the pricey watches after he secured the NBA mark vs. the Knicks ... giving his two longtime teammates a cool "thank you" gift after they had helped him succeed for so much of his career.
You can see in video from the post-game celebration, both Green and Iguodala were pumped to receive the presents in the bowels of Madison Square Garden ... with Green getting an adjustment made to his new watch right on site.
Of course, Green and Iguodala have been teammates with Steph for YEARS -- and have helped Steph win multiple championships, while also assisting on plenty of his 2,977 career 3-pointers as well.
According to ESPN's Dominique Collins, Steph also got a watch made for Klay Thompson -- though the other half of the Splash Brothers was not in attendance to receive it as he's still working his way back to Golden State following his Achilles injury.
Steph got doused by his teammates in the locker room after his record-setting night 😅
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 15, 2021 @NBAonTNT
(via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/k4sWvtwyLG
Steph, meanwhile, was still able to get in plenty of celebrating with his other teammates following the record-breaking night ... with the guys dousing him in ice and water in the locker room after the win over NY.
Spike had to get the perfect angle 🎥😂 pic.twitter.com/vfNjw8xGeS
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 15, 2021 @NBAonTNT
As for the party on the court, a bunch of celebs -- including Chris Rock, Spike Lee, Jon Stewart and Pete Davison -- showed out to catch Curry's big game ... with Lee going all out to make sure he had memorable pics from the evening!
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LaMelo Ball Launches Luxury Watch Line ... 226 Diamonds!!
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You probably can't hoop like LaMelo Ball ... but thanks to his new watch partnership, you can at least now tell time like he does -- if you've got a lot of cash laying around.
TMZ Sports has learned ... after partnering with Hong Kong watch brand Memorigin, the Charlotte Hornets superstar has just released two new luxury watches.
One of the timepieces is loaded with 226 diamonds and will likely cost in excess of $15K -- though we're told the final price is yet to be finalized. The other, a more modest black, steel version, will cost around $6,800.
And, they're both sick -- featuring all kinds of Melo-themed elements.
The dial features depictions of Melo's tattoos, "FEAR" and "GOD." It also has Melo's name, an image of his face, and a drawing of him in a #1 jersey with wings.
The piece also comes with a red camouflage rubber strap -- and, fittingly, it's been dubbed the "Melofaith," which is inscribed on the watch's tourbillon.
The watch company tells us in addition to providing extra swag to outfits ... Ball is hoping the watch helps inspire his fans to have a strong belief in faith and religion.
"His faith is his source of strength," the watch co. tells us, "inspiring him to face the challenges of every game with determination and perseverance. LaMelo Ball hopes to share his philosophy with fans through the creation of his brand."
Of course, this is not Melo's first fashionable move -- the 20-year-old also launched a clothing line, "LaFrance," in 2020. He also has a $100 million dollar sneaker deal with PUMA.
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Kylie Jenner Cops Called After Fan Hops Neighbor's Fence ... Wanted to Propose with Flowers!!!
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Kylie Jenner almost got a surprise marriage proposal, but cops intervened before an obsessed fan could pop the question.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... they were called to Kylie's neighborhood Thursday for a report of a man who had hopped a fence and knocked on a door looking for Jenner. Only problem? The guy had the wrong house and was at Kylie's neighbor's place.
Cops spoke to the 23-year-old man -- armed with flowers -- who told them he was there to profess his love for Kylie, and ask for her hand in marriage.
Obviously, the whole thing didn't fly with police -- who arrested the guy for misdemeanor trespassing -- and took him in for booking.
TMZ broke the story, it was a few months back when Kim Kardashian's security team intercepted a package from a fan that had a diamond engagement ring and a Plan B pill .... yes, you heard that right.
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Ex-UCLA Star Cade McNown Wife Arrested for Grand Theft ... Allegedly Lifted Handbags & Jewelry from Boss
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Former UCLA and NFL QB Cade McNown's wife is in hot water after cops say she hatched and carried out a plan to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in designer goods from philanthropist Sydney Holland.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Christina McNown was arrested after a lengthy investigation revealed back in October she allegedly lifted Holland's purses, clothing and jewelry.
Sources connected to the investigation tell us McNown had been a trusted assistant and stylist for Holland for 12 years and had easy access to her personal belongings.
We're told Holland -- who famously dated Sumner Redstone for years -- started to notice items missing here and there over the span of several months before connecting the dots to McNown.
What's more, our sources say Holland noticed some of the stolen items pop up for sale online. McNown's been arrested and charged with 4 counts of felony grand theft and is set to be arraigned in February.
Christina's husband was a major BMOC when he played at UCLA, earning All-American honors in 1998, and went on to play 4 seasons in the NFL.
Despite the ongoing legal issues, Christina continues to promote herself on social media, and through her website, for work as a stylist.
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Tyreek Hill Still Gunning For Usain Bolt Race ... I'll Bet My SB Ring On It!!!
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11/30/21
Tyreek Hill says he's still gunning to race Usain Bolt ... telling TMZ Sports he's so confident he'll beat the track legend, he's down to put his Super Bowl ring on the line!!
"Me and you can just meet at a local high school," Hill said in a message to Bolt. "I can come to Jamaica. We can get it poppin' on the YouTube. Huh!?"
If you're unfamiliar, Bolt and Hill have gone back and forth about a potential race for months -- with Hill initially calling the sprinter out earlier this year.
Hill -- arguably the fastest man in the NFL -- accused Bolt of ducking him ... and told him to "stop hiding" in a fiery social media post.
Bolt eventually fired back, telling us he'd be willing to put his gold medal on the line in a race if Hill was willing to put his SB LIV ring in the mix.
AUGUST 2021
And, when we spoke with Hill a few days ago -- he told us he's ready to meet those conditions to get the race moving.
"Right now, it's getting kind of personal," Hill said. "Right now, it's about my ego right now. Because I feel like he just tried me."
Hill continued, "First of all, my momma always told me you never let nobody talk trash to you if they're wearing a tight shirt like that. Like, his Puma shirt was choking him. I'm not fittin' to allow that to happen."
AUGUST 2021
Even though he's been retired for years, Bolt's still got to be the favorite in the race (right?) -- after all, Terrell Owens told us he thinks it'd actually be a laugher.
But, watch the Hill clip, it's clear the NFL wideout is confident -- and it's even more clear this sprint-off needs to happen ASAP!!!
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Lindsay Lohan Bader and I Are Gettin' Hitched!!!
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7:30 AM PT -- Lindsay's dad, Michael Lohan, tells TMZ ... "Based on what's been released by Lindsay so far, all I'll say is that I'm so happy for her and Bader, and proud of all she's doing in life. Bader is a wonderful guy and a great influence on her life. God bless them."
Lindsay Lohan is engaged ... and she's over the moon!
LL made the announcement Sunday ... she's going to marry her BF Bader Shammas, and she has receipts to show their love -- a couple of romantic photos.
Lindsay told her nearly 10 mil Insta followers ... "My love. My life. My family. My future. @bader.shammas #love 💍"
Lindsay's ex-GF, socialite Courtenay Semel, added her 2 cents .. "the best!!" Lindsay's brother Dakota is clearly down with Bader, posting, "my best friends!!!"
Lindsay and Bader have been together for a while ... first spotted out as a couple in early 2020 ... just before the pandemic shut down the world. So, the relationship is already road-tested.
Congrats!!!
Originally Published -- 6:41 AM PT
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Tupac 'M.O.B.' Ring ... Being Sold, Nearly $100k!!!
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It's no secret, Tupac Shakur was gang-affiliated -- and a piece of his own jewelry collection confirmed it ... one that's now made its way back to the marketplace with a fat price tag.
The rapper's very own gold 'M.O.B.' ring -- as it's known -- is hitting the auction block this week, courtesy of Moments in Time ... but it ain't really gonna be up for bidding, but more so ... just sold at a flat rate -- first come, first served.
The going rate ... a cool $95,000 -- so you can definitely cop it if you can afford it. And hey, the value might be spot on -- considering the late icon himself wore it on a handful of occasions, especially once he started hanging with Suge Knight and co.
For the uninitiated ... M.O.B., in the Death Row Records context, mostly stands for Member of Blood -- a street gang that Suge was certainly tied to in those days. M.O.B. can stand for other things -- money over b****es, mafia, etc -- but the Blood reference is most common.
It looks like Suge had a lot of his artists rock the M.O.B. rings back in the day -- including Pac, who's said to have usually worn it on his pinkie finger, and Snoop Dogg too (even though his roots are with the Crips). Anyhoo, this ring here was flashed quite often.
As for how it ended up in MIT's hand ... sources connected to the sale tell us Tupac actually gave this ring to a then-girlfriend he was seeing before his death ... and it eventually made its way to a private collector over the years.
Now, that collector is taking it to Moments and trying to unload it once and for all. Like we said, a great buy if it's in your budget -- and if not ... keep ya head up, you'll get there!
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SF Union Square Louis Vuitton Store Ransacked ... Cops Arrive in Wild Scene!!!
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A smash-and-grab heist of a Louis Vuitton store in San Francisco ended up looking like an action movie when the police showed up -- and it was all captured on crazy video.
Check out this wild scene of people ransacking the luxury retailer in Union Square Friday, with a ton of people flocking in and raiding the place for most everything it had. Bystanders caught tons of bodies storming into the front doors once the windows were busted.
#sf #unionsquare #looting pic.twitter.com/eUFSV9ZAw5
— Sophia Gonzalez (@sophiagzlz) November 20, 2021 @sophiagzlz
It doesn't appear to be tied to any type of demonstration or anything like that -- so far, this seems to have been a random act of looting ... that folks happily took advantage of once it was underway.
As you can see ... folks helped themselves to a number of items inside, walking out with armfuls of products (big and small) and casually -- albeit somewhat briskly -- walked away from all the action -- trying to get the hell outta there before the police arrived.
LMAO my coworker was right in front of the Louis Vitton raid in union square SF pic.twitter.com/TXReulhNeX
— 👻 Azja The FaBOOlous 👻 (@AzjaTheFabulous) November 20, 2021 @AzjaTheFabulous
Word is ... the people that stormed the store actually pushed over a security guard who was standing watch inside -- this LV was closed at the time of the incident -- and they had their run of the place. That is, until the cavalry got called in ... and, boy, did they come in blazing.
Watch this video of an SFPD squad car roaring up to the chaos and peeling in front of a parked convertible Mustang that, for whatever reason, was just chillin' there ... and which the cops apparently thought might've had something to do with the break-in.
Louis Vuitton San Francisco, Union square got cleared out!! pic.twitter.com/7Sz6rlRo8n
— Da Juan (@CARLITOSGUEY) November 20, 2021 @CARLITOSGUEY
Three officers surround the vehicle and start pulverizing it with their batons ... breaking in the windows and smashing up anything they can as they demand the driver get out of the vehicle. Eventually, they detain him and get him in cuffs -- but it's unclear what involvement, if any, this person may have had with what was happening just feet away.
In any case, it would seem the cops had reason to believe this car was carrying would-be culprits inside -- because the ferocity with which they pounced is pretty shocking.
The Louis Vuitton in San Francisco union square just got emptied out 😳 pic.twitter.com/Imi6qbL0i1
— Yealenne (@Yealenne) November 20, 2021 @Yealenne
Anyway, the aftermath of it all made for quite a mess ... glass scattered everywhere, as witnesses milled about and took video of everything. As for the police, they told local media they've already apprehended several suspects they believe were involved in the theft.
We know the holidays are stressful ... but sheeeesh, people ... take it easy!!!
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Karl-Anthony Towns Gets $16K Pendant To Honor Mom ... For 26th Birthday
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Karl-Anthony Towns got a lot of dope gifts for his 26th birthday on Monday -- but none were more meaningful than this ...
TMZ Sports has learned that one of KAT's good buddies got him an amazing diamond pendant -- that's worth over $16,000 -- to honor his late mother, Jackie, for the special day.
We're told Chuck Anthony -- who's been one of Towns' best pals for years -- hit up Tim Da Jeweler to get a bday gift for the Timberwolves center earlier this year.
Chuck wanted to pay tribute to Towns' mom, who passed away in April 2020 due to complications from COVID-19.
Tim tells us he and Anthony worked closely together on the project -- saying they "wanted to make something that would have some sentimental value to Karl given that he had a really hard time dealing with his mother's passing."
The honorary bling came out PERFECT ... it features a 48.6 gram yellow/white gold "J' pendant that's infused with 7.78 carats of round/emerald VVS Color E/F diamonds.
There's also a custom, hand-painted red rose with green and blue designs to give it "some pop," according to Tim.
It also comes with a 14k solid two-tone yellow gold/white gold rosary style chain -- and we're told it all cost $16,700.
As we reported, KAT has received a bunch of gifts honoring his mother over the past year ... including custom bags with Jackie's name on them from his GF, Jordyn Woods.
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'Challenge' Star Nelson Thomas I Wasn't Flirting Before KO ... Attacker 'Lied To The Cops'
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9:14 AM PT -- Nelson says the guy who knocked him out "lied to the cops" and the MTV star is denying flirting with the woman before being KO'd.
NT tells TMZ ... "The criminal who attacked me lied to the cops because we tried to find her for questioning and he never showed up to a court date. The guy is a criminal. He snuck up on me, attacked me, then robbed me."
Nelson claims the video shows him walking out of ARIA asking someone where Uber is and he says within 10 seconds he was knocked out. Nelson claims that's just not enough time to flirt and says he would never talk to a married woman.
Nelson Thomas was not up to the challenge of a pissed-off husband -- cops say the MTV star got knocked out cold after chatting up a married woman in Las Vegas!!!
According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, Nelson -- who's starred on "The Challenge" for years -- says he met a woman at ARIA Resort & Casino and started talking to her at the valet area, and then ... WHAM!!! Next thing he knew, Nelson was being awakend by someone telling him he'd just been punched in the face and had his chain stolen.
Cops say they saw video backing up that account ... showing Nelson talking to the woman before the knockout punch put him on the ground -- and the assailant socked him one more time.
Nelson says he was "sucker-punched" and left with a broken nose so swollen he couldn't get treated by a doctor until the swelling went down.
On social media, Nelson claimed he was attacked because someone was trying to steal his $10,000 chain, but the woman's husband, Kevin Dixon, tells a different story.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
According to the police report, Dixon copped to the punch ... and said Nelson was talking to his wife in an elevator -- but when he walked off, his wife stayed on and kept talking with Nelson.
He says he lost sight of her and was trying to text and call her, then found her at valet talking to Nelson. Cops say he admitted being jealous, mad and drunk -- a bad combo any night in Vegas.
Dixon was arrested for battery and grand larceny.
Nelson's on the mend, and it looks like his nose is fixed after finally getting treatment.
Originally Published -- 12:50 AM PT
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49ers 'Game Changer' Chain Worth 6 Figs ... Weighs 6.5 Pounds!!!
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The iced-out playmaker chain Deebo Samuel rocked during "Monday Night Football" is as incredible as it looked ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned the details behind the piece, and it came with a 6-figure price tag!!
The 49ers wide receiver donned the massive chain during the 4th quarter of San Francisco's 31-10 win over the L.A. Rams ... after scoring his second touchdown of the game.
The piece -- made by Rafaello and Co. in NYC -- had social media talking ... and now we have all the info behind the now-iconic chain.
We're told the "Game Changer" drip -- which was purchased by S.F. cornerback Jason Verrett -- is made of real, pure silver dipped in electro-plated yellow gold ... and is decked out in all-natural sapphires.
.@19problemz' chain is real BIG 🥶 pic.twitter.com/gXbCAE12yR
— ESPN (@espn) November 16, 2021 @espn
And, get this -- the whole thing weighs more than 6 1/2 pounds ... and took 9 weeks to complete.
We're told Rafaello and Co. is also behind another similar concept jewelry piece -- Manny Machado's "Swag Chain" he got for the San Diego Padres this past season.
While we didn't get an exact price tag on the piece, we're told it's at least 6 figures.